Tony Bislimi

Alberta has now declared a public health emergency on #COVID19AB. That means all events in the province larger than 50 people are CANCELLED, effective immediate...ly. All public recreational facilities and private entertainment facilities, including gyms, swimming pools, arenas, science centres, museums, art galleries, community centres, children’s play centres, casinos, racing entertainment centres, bars, nightclubs, and bingo halls are CLOSED. Sit-down restaurants, cafés, coffee shops, food courts and other food-serving facilities, including those with a minors-allowed liquor license, are limited to 50% capacity to a maximum of 50 people. Take-out, delivery or drive-through service is permitted. Licensed facilities will also be permitted to deliver liquor. We are also deploying an immediate $60 million to municipalities, charities, and non-profits to support their COVID-19 response - particularly to adult homeless shelters, women’s emergency shelters and the Family and Community Support Services program. Read more here: https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm For the latest COVID-19 information, please see alberta.ca/COVID19

Finally, our Premier and Government have taken some serious action to help all of us combat Coronavirus. We need lots of care, but no panic! Here's the latest update from the Government's press conference today: https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm

LET'S ACT NOW, WITH CARE AND WITHOUT PANIC! While there are only 19 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Alberta (and slightly over 100 in Canada), the fear from its spreading further is very real. It is said that the incubation period for the virus is about two weeks. This suggests that a person could have gotten it and spread it to many others before he or she can be diagnosed and then properly treated. Reports from all over the world suggest that more serious cases require ...ICU treatment and help with breathing. And, this is a big problem too. Look at Italy, for example. A country almost twice the size of Canada (in terms of population) has now gone into a complete national lockdown. This is to prevent the further spreading of the virus. An extreme measure now because less dramatic measures were not taken seriously in due time. In Italy, doctors are now at a point where they're having to decide who lives and who dies, as they simply do not have ICU capacities to properly treat all those in need of such treatment! The situation in Italy may seem surreal, but it is very real unfortunately. And, they say it could have been prevented. In a few weeks from now, we could see Italy's fate in Alberta and Canada if we continue to take this lightly. We need to be proactive and do all we can as citizens and as government to prevent the further spread of the virus NOW, before it becomes too late! NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT: since we cannot magically stop its spread, we must certainly take all necessary measures we can to slow down its spread and keep it under control. - Public gatherings of any kind should to be cancelled; - Schools and Universities should immediately take "a longer than usual" spring break; - Daycares and other pre- or after-school programs should be put under strict daily disinfecting routines, if closure is not an option for them; - No need for panic, but a lot of need for proactive and preventive action! We avoid this now, we will be fine! We don't do anything now, we may end up taking way more drastic measures later! So, why take a chance?

Dear friends: I am happy to announce that my book "The Albanian Rescue of Jews during the Holocaust," an edited volume containing the well-researched and documented stories of Albanian bravery, self-sacrifice, and tolerance, is now listed for sale on Amazon.com! This volume sheds light, for the first time, on the essential role the Kosovar Albanians played in the rescue efforts. The book was published on the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, and I had the honor... of personally handing a copy of it to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Antonio Guterres, during the UN International Holocaust Remembrance Day main session held at the UN on Monday, Jan 27. Copies of the book have also been deposited with the Library of Congress in Washington, DC and the Harvard Kennedy School Library in Cambridge, MA. The anthology came to life thanks to the immense work and contributions of Shirley Cloyes DioGuardi, as well as the contributions of former US Congressman Joe DioGuardi, Leke Rezniqi of the Kosova-Israel Friendship Association, Agim Alickaj of AACL and son of Kosovar Albanian rescuer, etc. Proceeds from the sale of the book will go to further exploring, documenting and publicizing this great story through the Albanian American Foundation. Everyone can benefit from this great story of how good can prevail over evil against all odds! Please buy your copy now! Thank you. See more

Happy 114th birthday to our Province of Alberta. We are so very blessed to call this place home.