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Of the 24,529 people who have died in Canada from COVID-19, I've linked 17,387 deaths to 1687 residential facilities. That is 7 more deaths than last night. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1M_RzojK0vwF9nAozI7aoyLpPU8EA1JEqO6rq0g1iebU/edit?usp=sharing
We are fewer than 500 deaths away from 25,000 deaths. I recall talking to @stphnmaher in like January about the prospect of Canada getting there, with vaccinations already have started and the second wave slowing down. I believe I was certain that we would.
Thanks to everyone for your supportive messages tonight in the wake of another set of journalism awards that recognized men reporting on LTC. It's funny that it seems to always be men! Of course, I couldn't be nominated and wouldn't win anyway ...
What I'm doing isn't universally considered journalism. And for the team that won from the Star tonight for their work on deaths in private LTCs, I don't want people thinking they plagiarized me. I'm sure they didn't. In fact, I think that Ed Tubb and I DMed last year about this.
But it isn't about copying these figures (which I made public on purpose and which have formed the basis of many many articles where I was not cited, this I know).
What I hate most about all of this is that there's no recognition of the work. Like, none.
What I hate most about all of this is that there's no recognition of the work. Like, none.
When the Star started collecting data, I had been on it for weeks already, When they did their investigation, my numbers were solid and big enough to prove that private care homes were more deadly.
Why didn't they call me to work together? Because it doesn't work like that.
Why didn't they call me to work together? Because it doesn't work like that.
It could work like that. Any journalist could reach out to me. Many have. Some even promised that it would turn into a collaboration, only to never be in touch again.
But it's better to have a Top Notch team of male journalists do serious journalism in house. Better journalism.
But it's better to have a Top Notch team of male journalists do serious journalism in house. Better journalism.
More serious. More awards. Maybe it comes with money. I dunno.
I don't think full-time journalists think much about how much of a grind (in the truest sense of the word) being freelance is. And I hate so many of them for being so clueless, if I'm being honest.
I don't think full-time journalists think much about how much of a grind (in the truest sense of the word) being freelance is. And I hate so many of them for being so clueless, if I'm being honest.
So anyway. On night 389 of me collecting this data, for free, with not a single example of an institution like the Toronto Star or the Globe and Mail or actually, yeah, not a single one reaching out to work with me (even if they reached out to ask me to help them) ...
... it's hard to not be a little bitter. But it isn't because of plagiarism and I don't know why I've just written a thread kind of defending the guys that have taken just a little bit of shit on my behalf but anyway. Someone else can unpack that.
But if you're still reading and you've sent me a note of support, I see it and I appreciate it. I do this because **literally no one else is doing this** and it's public and free because of how important it is ...
(and frankly its disgusting it is that corps like Torstar have paywalled their COVID-19 content but anyway)
And I'd still do it if it was entirely thankless, but it has not been thankless. I know how many of you appreciate it. And I thank you back.
And I'd still do it if it was entirely thankless, but it has not been thankless. I know how many of you appreciate it. And I thank you back.
You can see the data visualization here https://public.tableau.com/profile/andrew.lam3968#!/vizhome/CanadaLTCCOVID-19Deaths/LTC_Deaths_Canada
