Maddi Dellplain

玉險 Office of the Prime Minister Cabinet du Premier Ministre Statement by Prime Minister Carney and Minister Anand on the situation in the Middle East "The Canadian government is closely following Iran-related hostilities throughout the Middle East and urges all Canadians in Iran to shelter in place. Canadians in the wider region should follow local advice and take all necessary precautions. Canada's position remains clear: the Islamic Republic of Iran is the principal source of instability and terror throughout the Middle East, has one of the world's worst human rights records, and must never be allowed to obtain or develop nuclear weapons. Canada and our international partners have consistently called upon the Iranian regime to end its nuclear program, including at the 2025 G7 Leaders' Summit in Kananaskis and with the United Nations' reimposition of sanctions in September. Despite diplomatic efforts, Iran has neither fully dismantled its nuclear program, halted all enrichment activities, nor ended its support for regional terrorist proxy groups. Canada stands with the Iranian people in their long and courageous struggle against Iran's oppressive regime. Canada has listed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity, and has sanctioned 256 Iranian entities and 222 individuals in response to the regime's repression and its violence both against its own people, and persistently, beyond its borders. Canada reaffirms Israel's right to defend itself and to ensure the security of its people. Canada supports the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent its regime from further threatening international peace and security. The Canadian government urges the protection of all civilians in this conflict. We will take all possible measures to protect our nationals and Canadian diplomatic missions throughout the region." February 28, 2026

“Canada supports the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent its regime from further threatening international peace and security.”

Well. For those of us wondering if he’d walk the walk of the Davos speech, this is a pretty big answer.

Nope.

A few takeaways from the BC budget

Real spending cuts in health care are here:
Regional health authorities will only see a 0.7% increase in 2025-26 and a 2.5% increase in 2026-26—far below the 5-6% needed to maintain service levels, account for inflation, population growth and aging 1/

#bcpoli

BC residents have shrinking access to family doctors, despite more doctors - CCPA Primary care access is declining in BC. With a new provincial budget on the way, how has spending on doctors affected it?

Primary care access is declining in BC. With a new provincial budget on the way, how has spending on a new physician payment model affected it?

#bcpoli #cdnpoli

www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...

Manitoba slashes private nursing agencies: The path forward or a policy stumble? - Healthy Debate Last month, Manitoba took the bold step in cutting nearly all its private nursing agency contracts. Was it the right move? Experts weigh in.

Manitoba slashes private nursing agencies: The path forward or a policy stumble?

By @maddidellplain.bsky.social
healthydebate.ca/2026/02/topi...

Our research ethics boards aren’t the problem – the system wasn’t built to protect participants - Healthy Debate The bodies responsible for the ethical review of research operate with no national standards, no oversight and no accreditation at all.

Our research ethics boards aren’t the problem – the system wasn’t built to protect participants

healthydebate.ca/2026/01/topi...

Dreaming of a bold and courageous health-care system for all - Healthy Debate

Dreaming of a bold and courageous health-care system for all
By @maddidellplain.bsky.social

healthydebate.ca/2025/12/topi...

‘A lot of work to do, one conversation at a time’: New Year’s resolutions for 2026 - Healthy Debate

‘A lot of work to do, one conversation at a time’: New Year’s resolutions for 2026; By @maddidellplain.bsky.social

"With changes reverberating throughout our health-care system, we wanted to know what health-care experts planned to focus on in the year ahead."

healthydebate.ca/2025/12/topi...

The DULF constitutional challenge will continue tomorrow at 10am and a member of the compassion club will be testifying. You can drop in and support/witness at any time. It goes until 4pm with a break from 12:30-2pm. 800 Smithe, floor 5, room 54.

1/3. The December 2025 @megaphonemagazine.com has hit the streets! 🎄🎅 Don't miss this month's cover story looking back at a year of storytelling to find out who's been naughty + who's been nice in the #DTES!
Cover photo of Nic + Julie in their holiday onesies by the amazing Tanya Goehring!
Also...

“The fact is that this toxic drug crisis won’t be solved without an approach that focuses on safer supply and harm reduction.”

For my latest with @filtermag.bsky.social, I spoke with BC Human Rights Commissioner, Kasari Govender, about her position statement on the toxic drug supply crisis.

Brain damage, blindness and death: the global trail of trauma left by methanol-laced alcohol Methanol, a cheap relative of ethanol, is entering the supply chain, causing thousands of deaths around the world

Regulation saves lives. When drug regulations aren't strict people die. They don't have to die. Alcohol, opioids, stimulants: regulations save lives. In Canada we only strictly regulate alcohol and thankfully a tainted supply doesn't exist. We could regulate more.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

CDC moves to end telework for employees, including those with medical needs The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has ended full-time telework agreements for reasonable accommodations, employees say.

Scoop: The CDC is moving to end telework agreements for employees with disabilities — again

www.statnews.com/2025/11/21/c...

Apparently 1 in 6 people who get Botox experience adverse effects from the procedure?? Excellent (and troubling) new @healthydebate.bsky.social story by Miranda Schreiber

Who killed the Safer Supply Expert Reviews? The Fifth Estate is reporting that two federally commissioned expert reviews provided unanimous support for rapidly scaling up safe supply, including compassion clubs, but the government silenced the ...

NEW
Two federal expert reviews provided unanimous support in 2023 for rapidly scaling up safe supply, including compassion clubs.

Instead of informing the public, the government silenced the reports, and DULF got closed & arrested.

Who killed the expert reviews?
drugdatadecoded.ca/who-killed-t...

Donate to support Press Progress' legal fund! JournalismDefence.ca

Canada is currently experiencing a large, multi-jurisdictional outbreak of measles that began in October 2024 with cases in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, and the Northwest Territories. While transmission has slowed recently, the outbreak has persisted for over 12 months, primarily within under-vaccinated communities. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has notified the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) that Canada no longer holds measles elimination status. PAHO's Measles and Rubella Elimination Regional Monitoring and Re-Verification Commission reviewed recent epidemiological and laboratory data, confirming sustained transmission of the same measles virus strain in Canada for a period of more than one year.

UPDATE: Canada has announced that it has lost its measles elimination status.

This is a direct result of the increase in anti-vax disinformation, which has caused large, sustained outbreaks in the country over the last year.

Founders of groundbreaking Vancouver compassion club found guilty of drug trafficking Eris Nyx and Jeremy Kalicum, who sold club members drugs they had tested for safety, plan to launch a constitutional challenge against Canada's drug laws on November 24.

Founders of groundbreaking Vancouver compassion club found guilty of drug trafficking

Eris Nyx and Jeremy Kalicum, who sold club members drugs they had tested for safety, plan to launch a constitutional challenge against Canada's drug laws on November 24.
pressprogress.ca/founders-of-...

DULF Founders Guilty of Drug Trafficking | The Tyee Eris Nyx and Jeremy Kalicum didn’t have permission to sell tested drugs despite good intentions, court finds.

DULF co-founders Eris Nyx and Jeremy Kalicum were found guilty of possession with the intent to traffic this morning for meth, heroin and cocaine.
My full story on @thetyee.ca
thetyee.ca/News/2025/11...

Drug User Liberation Front founders Eris Nyx and Jeremy Kalicum have been found guilty of all charges. A lot people upset in this courtroom right now.

Defence going to be mounting a constitutional challenge.

“People who are getting clicks and likes online and [we have] a reactive government that is responding to the moral panic to avoid getting voted out … so we have policymakers with extremely liberal backgrounds doing extremely conservative things to retain their position of power,” Ranger said.

Finally got to cover some good drug policy news for a change! My latest with @filtermag.bsky.social :

AI and the mental health crisis: Can chatbots fill the gap? - Healthy Debate Canadians are increasingly turning to AI chatbots, like ChatGPT, for mental health support. But is this type of technology truly up to the task?

AI and the mental health crisis: Can chatbots fill the gap? By @maddidellplain.bsky.social

healthydebate.ca/2025/10/topi...

Great takedown of harmful #misinformation about cancer & autism by CBC Marketplace

They analyzed "200 of TikTok’s most popular health videos & uncovers a troubling trend: misinformation is not only widespread, it’s thriving."

Honoured to help. Investigating Dr. TikTok www.cbc.ca/player/play/...

No amount of alcohol is safe, at least for dementia risk, study finds Even a drink or two a day is linked to a chance of developing dementia as you age.

No amount of alcohol is safe, at least for dementia risk, study finds wapo.st/42DbNdR

"...even light alcohol consumption can increase dementia risk."

Help Rodney Taylor, a Disabled Double Amputee Being Held by ICE Rodney has been in the country more than 40 years. He's in solitary confinement in Georgia, being denied disability accommodations and having his medical needs ignored. He must be released.

Rodney Taylor was days away from receiving new prosthetic legs when ICE grabbed him.

He’s been detained for more than 8 months.

They won’t allow him to get his new legs & put him in solitary confinement.

He needs the disability community’s help!

His petition just hit 3,000… keep it going!

Variety article headline reads: Al Actress Tilly Norwood Draws Backlash From Melissa Barrera, Lukas Gage and More Hollywood Names as Creator Defends Her as a 'New Tool' and 'Not a Replacement for a Human Being' Image shows the AI actress, a pretty smiling brunette young woman with a child-like face. Article begins: "The creator of AI actress Tilly Norwood has released a statement following a weekend of heated backlash over the news that talent agents were already interested in signing the digital character."

Gives me the fucking creeps how these people are making fake women using AI and choose to give them extremely child-like faces. 🚩

x.com/macleans/sta...

My latest with @healthydebate.bsky.social

87 people died of drug poisoning in #yeg in March 2025. The highest monthly total recorded. Although we saw a early spike in EMS calls at the end of February there were no efforts to warn the public or put in place any additional preventative measures. #ableg

Scientists are dropping live mosquitoes out of drones in Hawaii. Here’s why. The wild reason why bird advocates are releasing these reviled insects from the sky.

Climate change is expanding mosquito habitat in Hawaiʻi, threatening endangered birds with avian malaria.

So Hawaiʻi is releasing male mosquitoes with a strain of Wolbachia bacteria that make them incompatible with the females so their eggs don’t hatch. 🪶🧪