AFP Canada

No, NASA did not admit that changes in Earth’s solar orbit, not human activity, is causing climate change

Published on 1 November 2019 at 19:26

An article shared half a million times claims that the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) admitted that changes to the Earth’s orbit around the Sun are responsible for climate change rather than human activity. This is false: NASA has explicitly stated that "scientists attribute the global warming trend observed since the mid-20th century to the human expansion of the 'greenhouse effect.'"

No, it is not legal to euthanize children in Canada

Published on 30 October 2019 at 22:49

Several online sources claim that euthanasia has been legalized in Canada for disabled, sick, or dying children. This is false; medical assistance in dying (MAID) was legalized in Quebec in 2014 and in the rest of Canada in 2016, but access is heavily restricted and Canadians under the age of 18 are not allowed to receive it.

Children recently vaccinated against polio do not spread a virus that causes severe hand, foot and mouth disease

Published on 29 October 2019 at 10:15

Memes shared thousands of times in North America claim there is a connection between the polio vaccine and severe outbreaks of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). This is false; the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the polio vaccines available in North America are inactivated, meaning people who receive this vaccine do not 'shed' or give off the virus and cannot infect others.

Trade agreement link to Trans Mountain pipeline purchase unlikely, experts say

Published on 28 October 2019 at 23:20

Ahead of the federal election, an explanation for the Liberal government’s decision to buy a pipeline in 2018 gained traction on social media in Canada. The motivation, according to a tweet, was the fear of a Chinese lawsuit under a trade agreement between the two countries. Several experts told AFP that the trade agreement, which was signed by the previous Conservative government, is unlikely to be used to sue Canada in this specific context.

Drivers must show their entire face in licence photos in Ontario, Canada

Published on 25 October 2019 at 22:30

A fabricated photo showing a driver’s licence from the Canadian province of Ontario featuring a picture of a person wearing a full face veil is resurfacing in Canadian social media. The photo is doctored and Canadians are not allowed to cover their faces in Ontario driver’s licence pictures.

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