Only 16 per cent of Canadian adults are meeting the national guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week, according to a national non-profit. Calling this an “inactivity crisis,” ParticipACTION says inactivity can lead to increased risk of chronic diseases, cognitive decline, falls and social isolation among older adults. It has issued a first-ever report card on physical activity in adults and has given them a grade of D. “Physical activity has been...

In Canada’s federal election, 63 per cent of voters chose parties with strong platforms on mitigating climate change. The Liberal Party will form the government but, since it does not have a majority of seats, it will have to seek the support of other parties in order to govern. Two of these parties strongly favour tougher measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  The New Democratic Party and the Green Party both campaigned hard for major reductions in greenhouse gas emissions....

A new book suggests that depression should be considered an inflammatory illness. That is to say, depression can provoke high levels of stress hormone which cause certain brain cells to stop working properly and to produce proteins that cause inflammation. Inflammation can cause other problems like heart disease, diabetes and obesity. “When you have multiple or very severe episodes (of depression) there’s actually an inflammatory cascade that is set up in the brain and it can lead to real...

An international panel of experts in cancer and rehabilitation has devised new guidelines to help people prevent cancer or recover from it and improve their survival. “In terms of cancer treatment, we know that being active, in theory, has been safe. We’ve done a lot of research there and it’s beneficial,” says Kristin Campbell, associate professor of physical therapy at the University of British Columbia and the Canadian representative on the international panel. Exercise said to reduce...

Science shows that obesity is a chronic disease like diabetes or cancer, yet people living with it are being told “they did this to themselves, and that they don’t deserve to be supported,” says Dr. Arya Sharma, the scientific director for the non-profit Obesity Canada.  Misconceptions abound, says doctor He says a new survey shows there are many misconceptions among health care professionals, employers and people living with obesity.   The latter “shouldn’t look at this as being their own...

A recent study suggested there was not enough evidence to prove that people should avoid eating red meat and processed meats. This ran contrary to previous studies which have, for years, suggested that  consumption of these meats should be reduced to avoid cardiovascular disease.  The study caused much controversy particularly when it was revealed that one of the 13 scientists involved had five years earlier conducted a study on sugar which received some funding by an industry with a...

On October 7, 2019, Extinction Rebellion activists blocked several bridges in Canada and succeeded in drawing attention to their message that climate change is an emergency already underway. The movement’s name refers to the belief that the world has entered the sixth global mass extinction event. It’s symbol is an hourglass that represents the view that time is running out. The group’s first protest in 2018 rallied 1,500 activists in London, England, and has since spread to more than 60...

Canadian researchers are testing a new technology that could be widely used for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease which causes problems with memory, thinking and behaviour. Current tests involve PET scans or spinal taps. But a new technology has been developed involving a simple eye exam that could be done during routine eye checkups.  “The hyper spectral camera...is able to measure how light is reflected from the back of the eye--the retina,” says Dr. Sharon Cohen, medical director...

Canada has produce a great many world class artists, but which have consistently been overlooked by critics. Only recently have some, such as Tom Thomson and the Group of 7 begun to be recognized internationally for their amazing talent. Still that leaves many who are clearly world class, but relatively unknown outside a few limited Canadian arts experts One such superb talent was that of Peter Clapham Sheppard. A stunning new book chronicles and highlights the life and work of this...

It's possible to have fun without alcohol. That is the premise of a new space for gatherings and events in Montreal, the MindfulBar, which wants to be a sober, safe and inclusive space for everyone. The MindfulBar, conceived and founded by Isabel Tames and Diego Bayancela, will specialise in the creation of alcohol-free cocktails with local products and will offer thematic evenings, concerts and events with the approach of "mindfulness", which means enjoying life with conscience in the...

Eye on the Arctic brings you stories and newsmakers from around the North Full Inuit participation will be key to long-term sustainable development in the Arctic as well as helping the world confront the current climate crisis, Sheila Watt-Cloutier, a long-time Canadian Inuit rights activitst, told an audience at the International Economic Forum of the Americas this week. "The Inuit right to be cold is connected to everyone's right to a healthy environment," Watt-Cloutier said on...

Better wildfire management and improved agricultural practices have been added to a list of black carbon and methane mitigation recommendations by a group of international experts. The Arctic Council Expert Group on Black Carbon and Methane, which includes experts from all over the world including Canada, added the two new recommendations, along with previous recommendations in four other areas: diesel-powered sources, the oil and gas sector, residential combustion and solid waste disposal,...

Canada filed its Arctic continental shelf submission with the U.N. Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf on Wednesday, claiming approximately 1.2 million square kilometres of the Arctic Ocean seabed and subsoil in an area that includes the North Pole.  “Canada is committed to furthering its leadership in the Arctic," said Chrystia Freeland, Canada's minister of foreign affairs, in a news release on Wednesday.  "Defining our continental shelf is vital to ensuring our sovereignty...

Depression affects twice as many women as men and there needs to be more research on what makes men’s and women’s brains so different, say researchers at the University of Guelph. The researchers looked at studies on sex differences in brain wave activity. Then they examined what is known about how sex hormones and female cycling affect those brain waves, and they found a lack of scientific information. More study is needed on sex difference in brain wave activity, say researchers....

Individual beluga whales make personalized sounds that let others know who they are, says Valeria Vergara, a research scientist with Ocean Wise, a conservation program of the Vancouver Aquarium. They may even share some calls with others in their group enabling others to identify not just individuals but groups of individuals that stay together. Valeria Vergara used a hydrophone to listen to belugas in Cunningham Inlet in the High Arctic. (Gretchen Freund) 'Belugas form long, strong...

Forest fires, important sources of black carbon emissions, devastated Arctic regions around the world in 2018, and are an increasing concern for circumpolar nations, says the chair of the Arctic Council expert group on black carbon and methane. The fires raged this summer in circumpolar countries like Sweden, Finland, Russia and Norway, including in their respective Arctic regions. "It's one of the reasons the Arctic Council has recognized (wildfires) more widely and it's a topic that...

Eye on the Arctic brings you stories and newsmakers from around the North The United Nations has designated 2019 as the Year of Indigenous Languages. The goal is to to make people more aware of the languages and their role in cultural preservation. Throughout the year, Eye on the Arctic will be checking in with First Nations and Inuit communities across the North to talk policy, education and strategies for language preservation and promotion in their regions. In this instalment, we...

All year long, Eye on the Arctic brings you news, and newsmakers, from around the North. But as 2019 gets underway, we've taken a pause to check in with our Eye on the Arctic expert bloggers to get their take on the past year in Arctic news and what northern news junkies should be watching for in the months ahead. In this instalment, we spoke with Mia Bennett, who writes and runs the Cryopolitics Arctic news and analysis blog and is an assistant professor at the University of Hong...

All year long,  Eye on the Arctic brings you news, and newsmakers, from around the North. But as 2019 gets underway, we've taken a pause to check in with our Eye on the Arctic expert bloggers to get their take on the past year in Arctic news and what northern news junkies should be watching for in the months ahead. In this instalment, we spoke with Heather Exner-Pirot, a managing editor at the Arctic Yearbook, a peer-reviewed publication devoted to the North. Feature Interview with...

Trade has been one of the dominant foreign affairs issues for Canada this year, and the situation has deteriorated significantly as we enter the new year. The arrest and detention of Meng Wanzhou, Huawei CFO, in Vancouver, at the request of the United States, has ignited Beijing's retaliation on Canada. The arrest took place on the same day U.S. President Trump was meeting with China's leader, Xi Jingpin, and it has rendered Canada in a complicated triangulated position as the two...

Updated on January 23rd 2019 | Canadian model Maye Musk, 70, attends the 2018 GQ Men Of The Year Party at Benedict Estate on December 6, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California. Musk's modelling career has taken off since she let her hair grow in silver, and she's now the latest "face" of Covergirl. (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images) HOW OLD? Canada, like all G7 countries, is an ageing society. With a population of almost 38 million people, the the median age here is now...

Eye on the Arctic brings you stories and newsmakers from around the North An interactive ebook focused on research in Canada's Hudson Bay area, and its wider connection to the Arctic, has been released in an effort to make climate science more accessible to the general population. "Scientific information is quite often not accessible to the public or the policy makers  because none of them read peer-reviewed journals," said David Barber,  Canada Research Chair in Arctic-System Science at...

Eye on the Arctic brings you stories and newsmakers from around the North.  The First Nations Book Fair (Kwahiatonhk: Salon du livre des Premières Nations) gets underway in the Canadian province of Quebec November 22-25 to promote Indigenous books and authors. Eye on the Arctic participated in Espaces autochtones, a show from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's French-language service Radio-Canada,  to talk about the popular books and reading recommendations from...

People who are seriously injured are at greater risk of being hospitalized for a mental health disorder or of dying by suicide within the following five years, according to a new study. The research involved over 19,000 people who were seriously injured in car accidents, falls or violence in the province of Ontario between 2005 and 2010.  They were 40 per cent more likely to be hospitalized with problems like depression, anxiety or substance abuse. Their rate of suicide was about six times...