Leadership is at a premium these days, but a number of political parties in Canada have come to the conclusion that a pandemic is no time for leadership contests. In the last few days, three provincial leadership races have been postponed or delayed until further notice — including one in Newfoundland and Labrador that will select a premier. The federal Green Party yesterday announced it would change some of the rules for its leadership race, allowing members’ signatures to be gathered electronically and lowering the fundraising thresholds for entry. Meanwhile, the federal Conservatives have been under some pressure to push back the schedule of the party’s race to replace outgoing Leader Andrew Scheer. Read more on this from CBC’s Éric Grenier.

As the Canadian government and the U.S. central bank say they will do whatever it takes to get their economies back on track, some experts are recommending a long-discussed weapon. Known as helicopter money, the concept was proposed as a thought experiment by Nobel Prize-winning American economist Milton Friedman as an alternative to governments borrowing and spending to stimulate the economy. Read more about why helicopter money is being talked as the global economy struggles amid the coronavirus pandemic.

When the COVID-19 outbreak first appeared in Iran, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei proclaimed it a hoax, a conspiracy from the country’s enemies. As CBC’s Terence McKenna writes, there were reports the regime tried to cover up the number of fatalities, until videos appeared that showed bodies being hurriedly buried in a graveyard by workers wearing masks and hazmat suits. As of yesterday, there were 1,812 Iranians dead from COVID-19. Observers warn that the government’s muddled, often paranoid messaging about the novel coronavirus could lead to many more deaths. Read more on this story here.

Now for some good news to start your Tuesday: With the pandemic shuttering theatres around the globe, Edmonton’s Cara McLeod turned her condo balcony into a stage to share the beauty of opera with her neighbours. McLeod, a soprano with the Edmonton Opera, performed from outside her home, singing to passersby who gathered while maintaining a safe distance from each other. She was inspired by the videos of Italians singing on their balconies and from their windows as that country began locking down. «Just seeing how, in such a stressful time, that people can come together and use music and raise their voices and have a light spirit even in the pain, was really beautiful,» she said. Read more here and watch her performance.

Front Burner: COVID-19’s other front-line workers: grocery store staff

Even as most businesses in Canada have shut their doors, grocery stores remain open. And workers in those stores — who are often in low-wage positions — are worried about their own safety as COVID-19 continues to spread. Today on Front Burner, CBC reporter Haydn Watters talks to guest host Michelle Shephard about how grocery store staff are coping with the crisis, and what their companies are aiming to do about it.