CanadaAug 18, 2020
Cabinet glass ceiling shattered as Chrystia Freeland named finance minister
Canada has its first ever female finance minister. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was sworn in this afternoon at Rideau Hall in a cabinet shuffle that also saw Dominic LeBlanc take over the intergovernmental affairs portfolio. Prime Minister Trudeau usually hugs his cabinet ministers at such ceremonies, instead he gave Freeland and LeBlanc a congratulatory elbow bump. Trudeau has asked Governor General Julie Payette to prorogue Parliament until September 23rd, two days after the House of Commons was initially to resume sitting.
CanadaAug 18, 2020
Increase in COVID-19 cases B.C., Alberta and Manitoba
There are 122,872 confirmed cases in Canada. Quebec: 61,206 confirmed (including 5,721 deaths, 53,930 resolved) Ontario: 40,745 confirmed (including 2,789 deaths, 37,036 resolved) Alberta: 12,412 confirmed (including 224 deaths, 11,056 resolved) British Columbia: 4,594 confirmed (including 198 deaths, 3,653 resolved) Saskatchewan: 1,581 confirmed (including 22 deaths, 1,387 resolved) Nova Scotia: 1,075 confirmed (including 64 deaths, 1,007 resolved) Manitoba: 716 confirmed (including 9 deaths, 490 resolved), 15 presumptive Newfoundland and Labrador: 268 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 263 reso
BCAug 18, 2020
B.C. officials announce 236 COVID-19 cases over three days, says penalties coming
Health Minister Adrian Dix says the B.C. government will announce stricter penalties this week for those who flout public health rules as COVID-19 cases climb in the province. Officials announced 236 new cases since Friday during a briefing today, including the second highest single-day increase of 100 since the pandemic began. Hospitalizations decreased from 12 cases to four. Deputy provincial health officer Dr. Reka Gustafson says most of those testing positive are young, which suggests the province has done a relatively good job of protecting the most vulnerable. However, she says young pe
CanadaAug 18, 2020
Finance Minister Bill Morneau resigns, plans to run for head of OECD
Bill Morneau is resigning as the federal minister of finance and a Liberal MP. Morneau says he is putting his name forward as a candidate to be the next secretary general of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he accepted Morneau's resignation earlier Monday and that Canada would ``vigorously support'' his efforts to take on the new role. Morneau has been finance minister since 2015, when the Liberals returned to power. For several weeks, opposition parties have been calling for Morneau's resignation over allegations that he had a con
BCAug 17, 2020
Police called when B.C. little league finds it bank accounts emptied of $230,000
Coquitlam Little League says it has barely $3,000 in the bank after funds totalling almost $230,000 disappeared from its account. A club statement says it was told in early June that more than 200,000 was on hand, but just weeks later members reported refunds for the pandemic-cancelled season had not arrived. Club president Sandon Fraser says the RCMP has taken over the case and the team's financial statements are being reviewed by an independent accountant. Coquitlam RCMP says it expects to issue a statement later today.
CanadaAug 17, 2020
New Brunswickers to head to polls during pandemic as Sept. 14 election called
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs has called a snap election, saying the campaign leading up to the September 14th vote will be unlike any other. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, candidates will not be going door to door or leaving any pamphlets in mailboxes. Higgs says candidates will have to be creative and innovative. Last week, Higgs threatened to trigger a vote unless opposition parties agreed to keep his minority government in power until 2022. On Aug. 10, Higgs invited opposition leaders to talks to reach a formal agreement not to trigger an election until September 2022, or no earlier t
CanadaAug 17, 2020
CFL cancels 2020 season during pandemic, ends 100-plus year run for Grey Cup
The CFL has cancelled its 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, dashing hopes of a shortened season in the hub city of Winnipeg. It marks the first year the Grey Cup won't be presented since 1919. Commissioner Randy Ambrosie says the league governors decided it is in the best long-term interests of the CFL to concentrate on the future. The league couldn't secure financing from Ottawa which it said was necessary to stage a shortened season. The move comes after the CFL couldn't solve a number of issues in an effort to try to salvage a season. The league was unable to secure financing f
BCAug 17, 2020
Calgary woman standing for a photo slipped into a B.C. river and
A Calgary woman has died after slipping into a river and being swept away in B.C.'s Kootenay National Park.The RCMP say in a statement they were called Sunday and told a water rescue was underway in Marble Canyon. Police say they learned that a 34-year-old woman was being photographed near the river when she lost her footing and fell into the water.Cpl. Jesse O'Donaghey says the woman was pulled out of the water about a kilometre downstream and bystanders, including a medical professional, attempted resuscitation but she died at the scene. A 29-year-old Calgary man who also tried to save the
BCAug 17, 2020
Emergency support extended for B.C.'s most vulnerable amid Covid-19 situation
The BC government has announced a four month extension to its temporary crisis supplement for people on income or disability assistance. The funds also cover low-income seniors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Poverty Reduction Minister Shane Simpson says B-C's restart plan is beginning to help some sectors affected by the pandemic, but low- or no-income people remain disproportionately affected. Payments will continue to be automatically added to assistance cheques through to December 16th and those eligible for the three-hundred dollar per month supplement must not be receiving other pand
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