Bill Comeau 🇨🇦
@bill-comeau.bsky.social
Canadian. Statistician. Math. Show me the evidence. I've been known to dwell on little things like pandemics, population health, preventable deaths, disinformation, authoritarians, kleptocracies, annexation, and protecting democracies. Also, Leafs & Jays.
I think Layla was probably my favourite song when I was young.
November 25, 2025 at 2:09 PM
I think Layla was probably my favourite song when I was young.
* I should have placed quotation marks around the word "peace".
November 21, 2025 at 6:50 PM
* I should have placed quotation marks around the word "peace".
LOL I finally liked your post after I realized spellcheck sabotaged it.
November 15, 2025 at 10:27 PM
LOL I finally liked your post after I realized spellcheck sabotaged it.
The supreme irony here may be that the Canadian populist politician Poilievre gained support by blaming Trudeau for high food prices while at the same time having his campaign run by a top Loblaws consultant. I am filling out a form right now to get $50 from a Loblaws bread price-fixing settlement.
November 15, 2025 at 9:28 PM
The supreme irony here may be that the Canadian populist politician Poilievre gained support by blaming Trudeau for high food prices while at the same time having his campaign run by a top Loblaws consultant. I am filling out a form right now to get $50 from a Loblaws bread price-fixing settlement.
It may be unclear from these charts that show % growth but if a grocer bumps prices up 10% for valid (temporary) pandemic reasons and then those reasons disappear and they then "only" bump prices up another 3%, then they are keeping the 10% and 3%.
November 15, 2025 at 9:21 PM
It may be unclear from these charts that show % growth but if a grocer bumps prices up 10% for valid (temporary) pandemic reasons and then those reasons disappear and they then "only" bump prices up another 3%, then they are keeping the 10% and 3%.
That's a valid question. And from what I have read the number actually leaving is significantly lower than the number expressing their desire to leave. That said, I think the important takeaway from the poll is the unprecedented and significant number now expressing that desire.
November 15, 2025 at 8:15 PM
That's a valid question. And from what I have read the number actually leaving is significantly lower than the number expressing their desire to leave. That said, I think the important takeaway from the poll is the unprecedented and significant number now expressing that desire.
"No country has previously recorded a gap between young men and women of 20 points or more when it comes to the desire to leave the country, per Gallup, which has surveyed on this question globally since 2007."
November 15, 2025 at 3:16 PM
"No country has previously recorded a gap between young men and women of 20 points or more when it comes to the desire to leave the country, per Gallup, which has surveyed on this question globally since 2007."
There are some jurisdictions in Canada that fail to fully support or promote vaccinations, vaccinations proven to reduce hospitalizations. Those same jurisdictions are trying to limit healthcare spending and have shortages of doctors and overcrowded hospitals during flu season. Make this make sense.
November 13, 2025 at 1:44 PM
There are some jurisdictions in Canada that fail to fully support or promote vaccinations, vaccinations proven to reduce hospitalizations. Those same jurisdictions are trying to limit healthcare spending and have shortages of doctors and overcrowded hospitals during flu season. Make this make sense.
More on this.
bsky.app/profile/hele...
bsky.app/profile/hele...
As expected, Canada has lost its measles-free status because of the long-running outbreak there. With it goes the #measles elimination status of the entire zone of the Americas, the only division of the #WHO to ever have achieved measles elimination. www.statnews.com/2025/11/10/m...
Canada loses measles elimination status — as does the entire Americas region
Canada has formally lost its measles elimination status, the country’s public health agency announced, triggering the loss of that status throughout all of the Americas.
www.statnews.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:35 PM
More on this.
bsky.app/profile/hele...
bsky.app/profile/hele...
Let me remind you that the leader of the Canadian Conservative party is on record for the permanent abolition of all future vaccine mandates, no matter the degree of public health emergency or epidemic, no matter the risk of uncontrolled spread, no matter the potential suffering and deaths.
November 10, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Let me remind you that the leader of the Canadian Conservative party is on record for the permanent abolition of all future vaccine mandates, no matter the degree of public health emergency or epidemic, no matter the risk of uncontrolled spread, no matter the potential suffering and deaths.
I'm proud to be Canadian but there are times when I am just a little bit ashamed.
November 10, 2025 at 3:24 PM
I'm proud to be Canadian but there are times when I am just a little bit ashamed.
While on the topic, we take the high dose Flu vaccine shots recommended by Ontario Public Health for seniors.
bsky.app/profile/jake...
bsky.app/profile/jake...
When we pooled all studies of older adults, overall effectiveness was just 42%. Why? Most studies used standard-dose vaccines. We could potentially prevent thousands more hospitalizations just by using the enhanced vaccines that already exist.
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November 9, 2025 at 1:24 PM
While on the topic, we take the high dose Flu vaccine shots recommended by Ontario Public Health for seniors.
bsky.app/profile/jake...
bsky.app/profile/jake...
As far as Ontario Canada, it is very early days. The lab testing rate for flu is low (1.8%) but rising now, indicating increased activity. The positivity is much higher in children 5-11 (7.8%). No evidence yet that H3N2 is taking over dominance of Influenza A strains.
November 9, 2025 at 1:07 PM
As far as Ontario Canada, it is very early days. The lab testing rate for flu is low (1.8%) but rising now, indicating increased activity. The positivity is much higher in children 5-11 (7.8%). No evidence yet that H3N2 is taking over dominance of Influenza A strains.