5 things to know for Thursday, September 9, 2021

TORONTO —
Canada has now vaccinated 77.16 per cent of the country’s eligible population. Here’s what else you need to know to start your day.

1. French-language debate: Five federal party leaders debated mandatory vaccinations, snap elections and climate change in the first of two official election debates on Wednesday evening. 

2. Liberal campaign protests: The small but vocal groups of protesters that have dogged Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau at his political rallies are disrupting his messaging, according to pollster Nik Nanos. 

3. How to win: With just days left in the federal election campaign, the two leading political parties appear to be locked in a dead heat with neither of them poised to win a majority government, according to national polling data. 

4. Booster shots: While some countries are already committed to providing COVID-19 booster shots to their populations, Canada has not yet released a third dose plan and some experts say it’s still too early to tell if a booster is necessary for the general population. 

5. Rapid tests: In some regions of the world, rapid tests, also known as lateral flow tests, have been a regularly used tool in the pandemic toolbox. But in Canada, these tests are scarce, leading some experts to say we are underutilizing them. 

One more thing…

Climate change: Experts say climate change is allowing many dragonfly species in Canada and around the world to thrive and expand their range, but cold-adapted dragonfly species in the Arctic are likely to struggle.