Businesses in some provinces spent the long weekend preparing to reopen ahead of an easing of restrictions aimed at curbing the COVID-19 pandemic, even as others said they're not yet ready to throw open their doors.

Even as much of Canada took steps on Thursday, May 14, 2020, toward resuming normal life, with the promise of reopened national parks and provincial economies, Quebec moved in the other direction by shelving plans to have students return to class in Montreal.

When Josianne Plante looked out her window on a recent morning, she was surprised to see a pair of large, bare-headed wild turkeys going for a stroll through her east-end Montreal neighbourhood.

A mother with two children at home, offering to work on evenings and weekends. A senior citizen, hoping to correct misinformation about COVID-19. A newly retired nurse, calling up her hospital and offering to come back.