Andy Watson

News today that 5 Canadian national team hockey players were found "not guilty" legally is disappointing. Make no mistake, what happened was still very wrong. They were not innocent. They were in a position of power & influence and abused that. As men, we must learn. More work for us all to do.

I mean, call it a hunch, but have you seen the crap she's had to put up with from the trolls, haters, and misinformed - I expect that probably had something to do with a need to take some time.

Incredibly proud of Dr. Henry for her leadership, humility and perseverance to sacrifice her own privacy (& well-being/security) for others - a true testament to her selfless, others-first approach to public health. B.C., Canada & the world are better and more people are alive today because of her.

The numbers are in – we’ve reached over 1 million downloads of the BC Wildfire App! The app provides fast, reliable, up-to-date wildfire info to help keep you safe.

Download the App on the App Store: apps.apple.com/bs/app/bc-wi...

Or Google Play store: play.google.com/store/apps/d...

#BCWS

This is the kind of work I'm proud to support in my professional communications work - hats off to all involved in this important Land Use Planning Agreement news.gov.bc.ca/releases/202... @bcgovernment.bsky.social @squamishnatcouncil.bsky.social @rparmarbc.bsky.social @randeneneillmlabc.bsky.social

Former chief of staff to Alberta Premier lived in home owned by Sam Mraiche’s sister Businessman’s dealings with the provincial health authority are subject to multiple investigations

SCOOP: Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's fmr chief of staff lived in a home owned by a sister of Sam Mraiche, a businessman whose dealings w Alberta Health Services are subject to multiple investigations.
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber... w @tomcardoso.bsky.social @hoserlibrarian.bsky.social

People who use drugs are not what is driving issues of public safety in B.C.; organized crime is profiting off the hardship of people facing addictions. To continually blame PWUD is misleading & harmful to finding overall solutions to the issue. Harm reduction saves lives.

New: First Nations Health Authority reports that 427 First Nations people died from toxic drugs in 2024, 6.7x rate of non-FN BC residents. First Nations women died at 11.6x of non-FN BC residents, men at 5.2x.

First Nations ppl make up 3.4% of population, make up 19% of toxic drug deaths in 2024.

Nine years ago today, B.C. declared a public health emergency in response to a significant increase in drug deaths from the changing drug supply. Since then, more than 16,500 ppl have died.

Fentanyl detected in <5% drug deaths in 2012, up to 67% by 2016, now ~85%, along with tranquilizers, benzos

We’re in desperate need of calm, decisive leadership. Let’s follow the lead of this COVID-era icon True leaders don’t shift blame. They take accountability, ensuring their teams and the public understand the situation, the plan, and their roles. They acknowledge challenges while maintaining confide...

We’re in desperate need of calm, decisive leadership. Let’s follow the lead of this COVID-era icon Bonnie Henry, by @femwriter.bsky.social www.thestar.com/opinion/cont... via @thestar.com

At least 458 ppl experiencing homelessness died in BC in 2023; ↑23% from 2022 (373), nearly 3x 2020 (155): BC Coroners Service
• 91% of 2023 deaths accidental (419)
• 86% accidental unregulated drug death (394)
• More than half between ages 30-49
• 79% decedents males
www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/b...

Now is the time to check your child's immunization records and ensure you're up to date before any travel - and, yes, especially for measles right now but really for any vaccine. BCCDC also had a good article on this recently: www.bccdc.ca/about/news-s...

This significant disparity highlights a critical challenge for business leaders, who, along with government and media figures, are perceived by 2/3 of Canadians as deliberately misleading the public. Your thoughts?

2025 Edelman Trust Barometer (EN) The 25th anniversary edition of the Edelman Trust Barometer has revealed a profound shift to acceptance of aggressive action, with political polarization and deepening fears giving rise to a widesprea...

Edelman Canada released its Canadian Trust Barometer report & Top 10 findings. Big takeaway: high trust in scientists but lower confidence in leaders; Canadians exhibit a strong trust in scientists (78%) which is more than double the trust placed in CEOs (37%): www.edelman.ca/trust/2025/t...

An interesting proposal to shift from using the term "non-pharmaceutical interventions" to "public health and social measures" - your thoughts?

The World Health Organization announce recommendations for the viral composition of #influenza vaccines for the 2025-2026 influenza season in the northern hemisphere. www.who.int/publications... via @who.int #GlobalHealth

On measles outbreak, the Trump administration’s messaging strikes some as off-key Why the Trump administration’s messaging on the Texas measles outbreak strikes some experts as off-key.

A child has died in Texas from #measles, which is a vaccine preventable disease. Yet neither the HHS Secretary, nor his department, nor the #CDC has publicly urged parents of unvaccinated children to get their kids vaccinated.
The silence is stunning. www.statnews.com/2025/02/27/t...

Measles outbreaks spreading in several provinces | CBC News There have been 95 measles cases reported in Canada so far this year — with Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba reporting new cases in the last week, says Canada's chief public health officer.

Dramatic #measles outbreak traced to New Brunswick wedding, and now spanning several provinces, worries health officials. There have been 95 measles cases reported in Canada so far this year — compared 147 cases for all of last year. www.cbc.ca/news/health/... via @cbcnews.ca #vaccination

BC Coroners Service released data for 2024 toxic drug deaths in B.C. today. While down 13% year over year, still 2,200+ people who died. Some great collective advice from public health was published last week by the Canadian Public Health Association, worth a read: www.cpha.ca/toxic-drug-c....

Unfortunate....

Andy Watson on LinkedIn: U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall statement on Wichita passenger jet crash in… (1/4) Horrible news out of the U.S. that there are no survivors from the plane crash involving a Black Hawk helicopter and commercial flight that included…

I posted my thoughts on the initial comms response to the devastating news of the fatal plane collision in the U.S. last night on LinkedIn - danger of speculation, need to brief your spokespeople before a briefing, & letting trauma-informed folks deal with families: www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

Well worth the watch with @caulfieldtim.bsky.social

And here's the campaign homepage avoidaiscams.investright.org

YouTube video by BC Securities Commission We Are All Bleeped: AI Investment Scams

Brilliant ad campaign about knowing how to spot AI-generated mis/disinformation: www.youtube.com/watch?v=25YY... - well done, BC Securities Commission. Catchy tagline "we are all **cked" :)

Cool event, great to see it.
Will you be in Victoria at all?

Today marks 5 years since the first case of COVID-19 was reported in BC. Our provincial chief medical officer Dr. Bonnie Henry joins us in a few moments to reflect on that time.
Coming up on CBC's The Early Edition.

Joint Statement from the Co-Chairs of the Special Advisory Committee on Toxic Drug Poisonings – Latest National Data on Substance-Related Harms Today, the co-chairs of the federal, provincial, and territorial Special Advisory Committee on Toxic Drug Poisonings- —Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's Chief Public Health Officer, and Dr. Sudit Ranade, Yuko...

From January to June 2024, there were 3,787 opioid-related deaths (21/day) in Canada. In the same period, there were 2,846 hospitalizations for opioid poisoning (16/day), 18,792 EMS responses (104/day) and 13,287 ER visits for ODs (73/day). www.canada.ca/en/public-he... #ToxicDrugCrisis

Yep. Ugh.

False Claims Linking Vaccines to Autism May Further Hinder Vaccination Rates www.kff.org/health-misin... via @KFF

"...misinformation related to MMR vaccines causing autism in children was a widely-encountered piece of health misinformation."

#VaccinesWork

The importance of this for our well-being - proactive health for the win! Thanks for sharing!