On today’s show:

• I ran out of time to tell you, but today is Women in Engineering Day, Public Service Day and Let It Go Day. So clearly, it means it’s time to leave your old prejudices behind, celebrate and support girls who want to go into engineering, and to remember that the people in public service are people trying to do their best in a time when none of us is really sure about what that is.
• I revisited a very old interview and a relatively new album. I brought out my 2013 interview with Jessica Rhaye on the occasion of her then-new release Far Gone Lullabies, and paired it with tracks from the current release, her album with The Ramshackle Parade covering Bob Dylan songs called Just Like A Woman: Songs of Bob Dylan. We heard One More Cup Of Coffee and Ring Them Bells.
• We also heard my visit with Beth Bird & Dustin Forbes, who were working together to create shadow puppet theatre in the Barracks last summer. Seems like ages ago, but I’m looking forward to visiting artists in residence again — next summer.
• Transit will grow again in Fredericton, Saint John and Moncton, but masks will be required
  The transit systems in these three cities have come together to create a unified operational plan to allow more passengers to take the bus during the continuance of the pandemic. To ensure safety, they are going to have a few rules in place, however:
  • Masks will be required, with exceptions for children under 2 and those with medical conditions that exempt them (as per the recommendations of the Chief Medical Officer of Health of NB).
  • Seating will be increased, but limited to no more than 50% capacity. Social distancing will be necessary, so spacing will be indicated.
  • Seats directly behind the driver remain off-limits. The driver needs to be protected, because they have the largest possible exposure time.
  • Mask use will be monitored. So long as we all play along, they can grow more service over time.
  • Passengers are encouraged to bring and use hand sanitizer.

News:

• New Brunswick Public Health reported no new cases of COVID-19 yesterday afternoon.
• It will be the luck of the draw for New Brunswickers wanting to access a popular spot for salmon fishing this summer.
• The Department of Natural Resources closed all crown land across the province on Friday after extremely dry weather conditions.
• The COVID-19 pandemic is not stopping the City of Fredericton from hosting summer recreation activities.
• The Codiac RCMP is asking for the public’s help in locating a missing boy from Moncton.
• Ottawa has signed an agreement with 15 indigenous communities across Atlantic Canada today to transfer water and wastewater services to the AFNWA.
• And Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a statement this morning on National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism.

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On today’s show:

• Today, it’s a look back to a visit by a delightful Montreal band, Inland Island, who I spoke to in 2017. They were on a tour, and told me about their innovative and fun video. We’ll also hear Rake and Family from their current album at the time.
• And we also checked in with photographer Sarah Sarty to talk about an exhibit from 2017.
• To cap things off, a summer song of sorts, My Black Ram‘s debut album from last year: Sweet Time.

News:

• Public Health reported one new case of COVID-19 over the weekend.
• With summer on the way and construction season in full swing, transportation minister Bill Oliver is reminding motorists to slow down.
• The Beaverbrook Art Gallery announced Friday it would remain closed until late 2021.
• The City of Fredericton has announced some new rules transit users must follow by next week.
• A 45-year-old man from Boundary Creek is dead after two vehicles collided into each other on highway two near Dumfries.
• According to Statistics Canada, New Brunswick took a financial hit of about 375 million dollars during March and April.
• And a researcher from the University of Manchester says COVID-19 patients might be able to control symptoms with longer sleep.

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On today’s show:

• The heat makes it perfect to celebrate Sauntering Day and act like a role model of relaxation with Garfield the Cat Day. It also happens to be Take Back The Lunch Break Day and Martini Day, so at least some of you might combine those celebrations, too..
• But most importantly, it’s Juneteenth. In the United States, this day commemorates the end of slavery, not just in principal, but in the public declarations that swept across Texas and the rest of the states and provided real action and change. The celebration has grown over the years, and this year, might be more important than ever before. While I’m not that familiar with it, and it is primarily an American celebration, it feels important to take a moment to celebrate, reflect and consider how racism has affected our society, and how we can work to eliminate it.
• FOOD MARKET AT THE EX SET TO OPEN JUNE 26
  After the sudden closure of the Northside Market, several food vendors were left scrambling for a new place to set up shop.
  
  It looks like the newest place is going to be at the Ex! The Capital Exhibition Grounds, with a wave of closures of events caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, has worked to create a brand-new grab-and-go food market in it’s parking lot. 10 buildings are in place, going through the process of inspection, and will house food vendors starting on June 26th, barring any unexpected problems. Currently scheduled to be available is food from: Tan Bueno (Mexican), Cook Wi A Cook (Jamaican), Zensations (vegetarian), Dan’s Sausages, J’s Asian Kitchen, Street Greek, Country Fried, Syrian Delights, The Korean Kitchen and Big John’s Spiral Potatoes. The market will plan to run on Fridays from 11am to 7pm, Saturdays from 9am to 4pm, and on Sundays from 10am to 4pm. They also promise to have a very environmentally friendly market, with no single-use plastics and recyclable containers.
• The latest Revelation from the UNB Art Centre opens on Friday at 5pm: Dark Knight, featuring works by Burton Glendenning, Chris Giles, Julie MacIntyre, Alex Colvile, Roger Smith (interview on website) and Catherine Hale; and Memento Mori featuring the works of Cliff Turner, Jessie Babin, Cathy Ross, Susan Patterson, Karen Ruet, and Peter Powning.
• The Tipsy Muse welcomes you back for live, in-person music with their Mellow Yellow Concert Series. These shows will come with the necessary precautions in order to maintain social distancing, including: a limit of 25 people; no tables; patrons will order with text from their seats; customers will buy tickets in bubbles of 2 to 4. For all shows, doors will open by 6pm, and the shows kick off sharp at 7pm. First show is scheduled for Friday, June 19 with Colin Fowlie, and then on Saturday, June 20 with The Tortoise, The Hare and the Millionaire.
• We’re a far distance from being able to enjoy all our performances in person, and some of the digital offerings allow us to connect with musicians from all over. This week’s Living Rooms Concert Series continues on Sunday, starting at 5:30pm with Ian MacDonald, followed by Beige Shelter, C A Jackson and Lynne Hanson. Join the stream on the Roots & Soul Music Promotions Facebook page, or with The East, The Cap, or Grimross Brewing Company. See the Facebook event for more details.

News:

• New Brunswick Public Health reported no new cases of COVID-19 yesterday afternoon.
• After a tennis match debate in the legislature, provincial leaders voted against bill 11 yesterday afternoon.
• Two men are dead after a single-vehicle crash in Quispamsis on Wednesday night.
• A man from Dieppe has been arrested after police seized over 100,000 illegal cigarettes on Wednesday.
• RCMP in Hampton have their suspicions about a structure fire at a camp in Bay View. 
• Residents looking to beat the heat at the Mactaquac Beach today are out of luck — the province has issued a no swim advisory at the famous spot.
• St. Thomas University announced further information about the upcoming fall semester during a town hall yesterday afternoon.
• And a commencement speech that is sure to bring some nostalgia to the Class of 2020 is going viral on TikTok.

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On this episode:

• While it was International Picnic Day and Go Fishing Day, it was clearly a day for avoiding the outside altogether. Good news! You can celebrate International Sushi Day.
• It was also International Panic Day, but with everything that’s already going on, we can probably skip that one and focus on being more calm.
• Do you remember what time of year it is? You can be forgiven for forgetting, but normally around now we’d be considering some wonderful gatherings like the Cultural Expressions Festival. Well, good news: they have gone online with the festival, and are extended from June 18 to July 1. I sat down with Gerry Brom of the CEF in 2017 to talk about the festival. In that year, they were aligning with the Canada 150 celebrations, and decided to celebrate all cultures together. Normally, they choose a specific culture to highlight, and for 2020 they have chosen Latin American culture. So, join in, celebrate the multicultural diversity our country has. Visit their website for more information.
• Solo Chicken Productions has a track record of supporting diverse theatre, and I revisited my interview with Lisa Ann Ross about A Record of Us in 2016. This year, SCP is once again supporting the Plain Site Theatre Festival. The festival’s final form is likely to be digital this year, but they are accepting submissions immediately for LGBTQIA2+ plays to produce as readings and discuss in workshops this fall, and be full productions in 2021. The deadline for submissions is August 1, 2020.

News:

• New Brunswick Public Health confirmed one new case of COVID-19 in Campbellton’s zone five region yesterday afternoon.
• A legislative committee is going forward with a proposal making vaccinations mandatory for children in public schools. 
• A 68-year-old woman from Miramichi is dead after a two-vehicle collision in Glenwood.
• The death of a 42-year-old man from Ontario has been ruled as an accident, according to Codiac RCMP.
• The City of Fredericton will revitalize and replenish the tree canopy and green space at the government house grounds.
• Public Health says residents should remain cautious if they work outside in the hotter weather.
• And Federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh has come under fire after calling Bloc Quebecois MP Alain Therrien a racist.

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On today’s show:

• Today is Eat Your Vegetables Day. Why? Because if you do, you won’t feel so bad celebrating both Cherry Tart Day and Apple Strudel Day later.
• It’s also Garbage Man Day. Er.. Garbage People Day? Just remember: there’s someone who has to deal with your garbage, which is bad enough; so be tidy and considerate.
• The Muriel McQueen Fergusson Foundation Announced its 27th Award Recipient: Dr. Judith Wuest. Congratulations for all the hard work you’ve done!
• There will be a Panel on Wednesday night at 7pm over Zoom on Housing in the Time of Coronavirus. “COVID-19 has further exposed the precarious nature of housing for people in New Brunswick, across Canada and the world. Big business, small business and homeowners have received federal government relief, but what about tenants? The Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) for people made unemployed due to COVID-19 is not enough to cover the rent of many people. With provinces largely responsible for housing, what can New Brunswick, a province considered to have the worst tenant rights of any Canadian province, with no tenants’ association, do to counter the powerful landlord lobby that threatens to make more people homeless? Although the New Brunswick government had imposed a moratorium on evictions for tenants who could not pay their rent because of COVID-19, the government lifted that moratorium on May 31”. With panelists Martine August (an Assistant Professor in the School of Planning at the University of Waterloo), Asaf Rashid (a lawyer and long-time community and union organizer), and Aditya Rao (a lawyer, renter and new tenant in Fredericton). It will be moderated by Kristi Allain (Canada Research Chair in Physical Culture and Social Life), and Matthew Hayes (Canada Research Chair in Global and International Studies). Co-organized by the NB Media Co-op. See the Facebook event page for full connection information.
• Today’s release of the UNB Art Centre‘s Design Works Wednesdays — Create at Home Series is Flower Fairies.
• Enbicon 2020 is Fredericton’s own local tabletop gaming convention, and this year, it is going virtual! All games will be a combination of online tools, such as Discord and Roll20.  The call for GMs to register their games has gone up. Player registration will follow later.
• This week’s Roots & Soul Artist Takeover on Thursday night will feature Keegan Dobbelsteyn (7pm), Mark Currie (8pm) and Marie Hamilton (9pm).
• Colin Fowlie will be performing 2 sets LIVE and IN PERSON at The Tipsy Muse Café this Friday! Limited tickets are available in bundles of 2 or 4 (to accommodate best occupancy with social distancing). Doors will open at 6:45pm, with the show kicking off at 7pm. See the Facebook event for more details.
• Because of technical problems yesterday, the full interview with David Perley and Imelda Perley that I did in 2015 was cut off, so I’m reproducing it here. I spoke to them about the inaugural MWC Powwow held that year.
• And also from 2015, I spoke to Alex and Barry of Imaginary Circumstances Theatre Company about building a company and being enthusiastic about theatre.

News:

• The province announced three new cases of COVID-19 yesterday.
• A provincial house committee has voted in favour to remove a clause from Education Minister Dominic Cardy’s proposed vaccine legislation.
• While New Brunswickers beat the heat next month, J.D. Irving crews will break new ground in Doaktown as its sawmills division prepares to expand.
• Codiac RCMP is asking for the public’s help in locating a 16-year-old boy from Moncton.
• The federal government is expanding CERB cheques for another two months.
• And scientists in the UK have discovered a cheap steroid drug is an effective treatment for certain COVID-19 patients.

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On today’s show:

• Today is Superman Day, so keep your eyes out for people in capes.. It’s also Peanut Butter Cookie Day and International Falafel Day, so we will eat well today!
• Saturday is Sewing Machine Day, and right now, it is the instrument of our times.. Or maybe you need to get outside? It’s also Worldwide Knit In Public Day, so salute all those people bringing the threads together.
• Sunday is World Blood Donor Day, so consider how you might be able to share some of your life, to save another’s. It’s also International Bath Day, Cupcake Day, and Bourbon Day, so sounds like it’s time for a spa (maybe at home).
• Service New Brunswick would like to remind you that you were only given a limited-time extension to renew your licence, registration, certificates and other permits. It’s time get your documents up to date, and fortunately you can do a lot of it online at snb.ca.
• Remember that the new displays of artworks in UNB’s working collection will be presented by the UNB Art Centre at 5pm on Friday. In Revelations, they hope to show works of many well-known and lesser-known New Brunswick artists, including works that are rarely seen. Visit their Facebook page for more details.
• This Saturday, the City will be doing a special curbside cleanup to collect the debris of the severe thunderstorm of last week. Have your materials bundled or bagged and at the curbside by 7am on Saturday. This is for smaller debris and yard waste only.
• Theatre New Brunswick has announced that it is doing Summer Theatre Camps. It has worked out safer ways to do it with respect to COVID-19, and will give kids (and parents!) a much-needed relief from being at home all the time.
• The Boyce Farmer’s Market will open on Saturday this week. While they have reduced capacity and vendors, it’s important for all of us to find ways to support them with patience and patronage. The market opens at 8am on Saturday and runs until 1pm.
• This Saturday at 1pm, there will be a Healing Walk in Memory & Justice for Chantel Moore, starting at City Hall downtown. Friends, family and allies are asked to join, but are also asked to respect the protocols established for the event.
  • “All are welcome, but we ask that you take careful consideration of the details described in the Healing Walk Protocol, and follow the protocols earnestly. We acknowledge Dr. Imeda Perley (Opolahsomuwehs) for the composition of this Healing Walk Protocol.Chantel Moore’s Healing Walk Protocols
    Brothers and Sisters, Elders and Youth, let us join our heavy hearts, our furious minds, our gentle spirits to follow the ancient tracks of our people to stand up for justice, to sing our songs of healing, to invoke all our spirit helpers to guide us towards our peaceful perseverance during this tragedy and pandemic.
    
    We will walk in both silence and chants to honour our emotions and heal both our historical and contemporary agony of injustice.
    
    We will carry our gifts of language to bless our purpose and refrain from using profanity that does not belong to our language.

    Our women will carry our gift of compassion in a bowl of water to be brought to a designated sacred place.

    We will wear our ceremonial skirts and shirts to honour our nations colours and pride

    Our voices will echo love not hate.

    Our Smudging will help us to comply with our Wampum Laws of peace and to minimize displaying acts of anger that may disrespect our cause

    Our Healing Walk should never be called a “protest”, this is not our traditional word, we instead use “Ikatomone”(eek-gut-moh-neh) which translates to “let’s guard” our way of life, our languages, our ceremonies, our rights to declare justice.

    Our Sacred Drums will soothe our shared anguish as we converge our thoughts to healing Chantel’s family and her memory.

    Our Sacred Pipes will invoke our power to connect to our ancestors who are walking with us within our DNA

    Our Red Shawls will be a symbol for all MMIWG and their families.

    Our Moccasins will allow us to walk with stamina a gift from our four legged relatives and mostly to leave our sacred tracks to honour those who went before us and to leave behind for those yet to be born!

    Please keep in mind to follow our safety precautions of social distancing, hand sanitizing and wearing masks to remain safe from Covid-19.

    ———

    Regardless of race or background, we ask that you follow the protocol. The  protocols keep us safe, and maintain our intention. We encourage you to remember Chantel in these ways:

    •  Wear gold and yellow. Chantel’s catchphrase was, “stay golden!”. We honour her by wearing gold and yellow
    • Wearing rainbows. Shortly after Chantel’s life was tragically lost at the hands of the police officer, a rainbow emerged in the sky.
    • Wear your Indigenous regalia
    • Bring your drums, shakers, art, and signs
    • Show compassion, care, and courtesy in your expressions”
• Today, we revisit two artists who use art to help understanding of marginalized or misunderstood groups. Natalia Sappier is an indigenous multi-disciplinary artist who joined me in 2019 to talk about her theatre-and-music project while in residency at the UNB Art Centre. Alex Rioux is involved in multiple aspects of theatre in the city, and joined me in 2018 to talk about the production of Fruit Machine.

News:

• Two staff members from the Campbellton Regional Hospital are New Brunswick’s latest cases of COVID-19. 
• The City of Fredericton has planned a photo trail for high school graduations after COVID-19 impacted prom, graduation ceremonies and safe grad events.
• Fredericton police arrested 28-year-old William Vrolyk on Tuesday after connections to several outstanding crimes.
• 34-year-old Peter Thomas Poirier now faces additional charges about a robbery and not stopping for police in Moncton and Dieppe.
• The New Brunswick Social Work Association is calling for mental health professionals to be involved in police wellness checks.
• The federal government is taking action to support and stabilize the economy by promising New Brunswick $45 million from the Gas Tax Fund. 
• And Canadian Blood Services hopes people across the country will consider donating blood or plasma despite COVID-19.

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On the show:

• It was Farm Workers Day, so we revisited an interview from 2013 with Lucia Stephen of ACORN about their program to grow more farmers. Don’t plant them too deep!
• We also heard from Shawn William Clarke, who was touring the Maritimes back in 2018.

News:

• The province announced four new cases of COVID-19 in Zone Five yesterday. The individual from Zone One is a temporary foreign worker who tested positive after isolating for ten days. 
• St. Thomas University announced yesterday it will deliver its courses online for the fall semester.
• Caraquet RCMP is investigating suspicious fires along a bike path in Saint Simon.
• John Richard from University of New Brunswick said recent decisions to cancel competitions have left people with many questions.
• The 2021 Canada Summer Games is over a year away, but the province hopes 15 new volunteers will serve as staff for Team NB.
• On Monday, Hampton MLA Gary Crossman called on the legislature to bring fibreoptic internet to isolated rural areas of his riding.
• And a new study from Restaurants Canada shows six out of ten are still losing money

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In this show:

• Today was Ball Point Pen Day. I tried to say something nice about it, because I realize it’s an amazing invention, but really… what can you say? Go write something!
• We are in the middle of Canada Blood Week. You can help save a life. Contact blood.ca to book your appointment.
• The last schedule Digital Tertulia is tonight! Listen to  Daniel Tubb talk about Gabriel Garcia Márquez. This will be live at 7pm.
• I read about the upcoming release of Depends on the Pay, the new album of New Brunswick folk songs assembled and performed by Mike Bravener, so I wanted to share my interview with Mike from last fall, when he embarked on this project.
• We also revisit another Real Life Survivor: Louis Stravato.
• And a bit of music in the mix: Smile by Eyeswide.

News updates:

• The province announced one new case of COVID-19 yesterday. The individual from zone one is someone in their 20s who did not self-isolate after travelling.
• Education Minister Dominic Cardy is looking for the province to pass Bill 11, which requires all public school students to be vaccinated.
• Courthouses around New Brunswick are slowly returning to near normal dockets every day.
• Codiac RCMP have arrested 34-year-old Peter Thomas Poirier after an armed robbery in Dieppe early Monday morning. 
• The ACAA announced its first-semester sports schedule is cancelled due to COVID-19.
• After last weekend’s severe thunderstorm, the City of Fredericton will clean up of small debris this Saturday.
• Science East has found its newest CEO in its chief operating officer, Guy Robbins. 
• And Rogers Communications said yesterday partnering with women’s shelter throughout the Maritimes is crucial during COVID-19.

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On the show:

• Tuesday was Donald Duck Day, but more importantly Call Your Doctor Day and Care For Your Grandparents Day. So, let’s all check our health and well-being, shall we?
• While the normal format for Flourish Festival won’t be happening this year, they are reimagining their platform and working around new restrictions. “We’ve re-opened submissions for FLOURISH Festival 2020. We are reimagining our platform and working around new restrictions. We are especially interested in hearing about community projects, public art proposals, installation proposals, workshops/educational programming, murals, and other projects that do not require physical gathering.” Apply to join the festival on their website, flourish-fest.com . Submissions are open until Friday, June 27th.
• Design Works Wednesdays will continue. This week, the new host (Jody McCleary) took over the new format and recorded a video on Picasso Pet Paintings.
• The Digital Tertulias continue this week with Daniel Tubb on Gabriel Garcia Márquez. This will be live on Wednesday night at 7pm. This is the last scheduled tertulia so far.
• To honour the memory and call for justice in the case of Chantal Moore, there will be a Healing Walk in numerous places across the province this weekend. In Fredericton, the event will start at 1pm starting at City Hall. Be sure to observe the necessary pandemic safety requirements as well as the protocols they have established to show your support properly and with respect.
• I revisited an interview I did with Tea Fazio about the Girls STEM Up! conference from the fall of 2019. It is vital that we generate more interest in STEM fields, and make sure that women face no barriers and get necessary support to enter those studies if they wish.
• We also revisited another Real Life Survivor‘s story: Lisa Richard.
• Featured song today is I’m Goin’ Fishin’ by Stephen Lewis & The Big Band of One.

News update:

• The province announced nine new cases of COVID-19 yesterday.
• The Atlantic University Sport Association announced yesterday it will suspend regular and post-season conference events until January.
• Three people have been charged by Blackville RCMP after seizing drugs at a traffic stop in Renous.
• RCMP in Hampton is looking for the public’s help into a break-in at the Family Meat Mart on Kierstead Avenue.
• The City of Fredericton announced the Wilmot Park splash pad, along with nine city-owned wading pools will stay closed this summer.
• The City of Fredericton will work with the Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture on an archeological assessment at Officers’ Square.
• Immediate family of citizens or permanent residents can enter the country as of midnight last night.
• And the Department of National Defense has released a report on the Cyclone helicopter crash which killed six passengers on April 29.

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On the show:

• Monday was Best Friends Day and World Oceans Day. Did you call a friend and stare lovingly at a photo of an ocean? Or at least eat seafood?
• Monday also turned into My Black Ram day: I played Bondo’s pick of Another Lover, the interview I did with Peter and Jon from the band, and then a full version of Lost That Feeling. You can pick their album up online, or visit The Cap, or find them on Facebook and maybe still get home delivery.
• I also revisited the most recent Real Life Survivor story, in which Julie and I spoke to Karen Richardson.
• Good news! Fredericton’s Canada Day Committee is determined to have our summer celebration after all! They are planning a live stream of music all day, as well as a competition to decorate your home for the holiday.
• Design Works Wednesdays will continue. This week, the new host (Jody McCleary) took over the new format and recorded a video on Picasso Pet Paintings.
• The Digital Tertulias continue this week with Daniel Tubb on Gabriel Garcia Márquez. This will be live on Wednesday night at 7pm. This is the last scheduled tertulia so far.
• To honour the memory and call for justice in the case of Chantal Moore, there will be a Healing Walk in numerous places across the province this weekend. In Fredericton, the event will start at 1pm starting at City Hall. Be sure to observe the necessary pandemic safety requirements as well as the protocols they have established to show your support properly and with respect.

News update:

• The province announced one new case of COVID-19 over the weekend.
• The family of Chantel Moore is looking for answers to her sudden death last week.
• National RCMP commissioner Brenda Lucki says there is no room for racism in Canada’s RCMP.
• St. Thomas University has cut ties with the local company responsible for making its grad rings.
• Police in Bathurst has charged a 34-year-old man with attempted murder.
• Codiac RCMP is asking for help in locating a missing 15-year-old boy from Moncton.
• Fredericton emergency crews were busy over the weekend in the wake of a massive storm Friday evening. 
• The Dooly’s on Queen Street has been closed after reports of a customer who failed to self-isolate after travelling to Quebec.

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