5 things to know for Monday, August 2, 2021

TORONTO -

Canada has now fully vaccinated 66.44 per cent of the country's eligible population. Here’s what else you need to know to start your day.

1. Street opioids: Canada's street supply of opioids is becoming increasingly unpredictable and contaminated, prompting renewed calls for safe supply programs that could help regain control of the drug supply and save lives. 

2. Fighting for justice: Delia Opekokew, the first Indigenous women to be admitted to the bar in both Saskatchewan and Ontario, says that she is proud to have retained her knowledge of the Cree language after surviving a residential school. 

3. Air quality: As wildfires continue to rage across the western United States and Canada, a recent study has found that wildfire smoke is positively correlated with an increase in COVID-19 cases. 

4. Mental health: Despite her historic performance at the Tokyo Olympics, swimmer Penny Oleksiak admits she was nervous going into the games after the COVID-19 pandemic sidelined athletes for much of 2020. 

5. Biles on the beam: U.S. gymnastics star Simone Biles is returning to competition in the balance beam finals in Tokyo on Tuesday, after skipping other events to focus on her mental health. 

One more thing…

Meme-able moment: Just like the rest of us, Canadian Olympic gold-medalist swimmer Maggie Mac Neil has been laughing at the memes of her squinting to see how she placed in the 100-metre butterfly final. 

Canada's Maggie Mac Neil, left to right, Sydney Pickrem, Kylie Masse and Penny Oleksiak, in the water, react to their time to win a bronze medal in the women's 4 x 100m medley relay final during the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games, in Tokyo, Sunday, August 1, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld