Health Minister Patty Hajdu says the Liberals one billion dollar package to mitigate impacts of the spread of COVID-19 is aimed at finding the balance between keeping the country ready, and also functioning. She says a decision to make it easier for people forced to stay home due to the illness to collect unemployment insurance was rolled out for that reason. The money announced by the Liberals will also be spent on purchasing medical supplies for front line workers, research towards a vaccine for the virus and bolstering provincial and territorial health care responses. The Liberals' package

Finance minister Bill Morneau has set a date,30th March,for the next federal Budget. He made the announcement in the Commons this afternoon. Morneau says the budget will recognize real challenges in the economy, a reference to things like the new coronavirus and low oil prices.

RCMP from five northwestern BC detachments had to work together to catch a suspect wanted for a series of thefts that began Monday in Smithers and ended more than six hours, and several crashes later in Burns Lake. Corporal Madonna Saunderson says it started with the theft of a white Ford F150 pickup truck in Terrace but police weren't alerted until the alleged suspect left that vehicle in Smithers and made off in a black truck before abandoning it in favour of another Ford pickup, this one possibly stowed with firearms and other weapons. Over the next several hours, one stolen trucks was cra

The women's world curling championship in Prince George will go ahead as planned starting Saturday despite the ongoing global spread of the new coronavirus. Provincial Health Officer Doctor Bonnie Henry says the province and the Northern Health authority have been working with the event's organizers to limit the risk of transmission. Teams from countries grappling with outbreaks of COVID-19, including Japan, South Korea, China and Italy, will participate in the annual tournament at the 6,000-seat C-N Centre. Health Minister Adrian Dix says fans should stay home if they're feeling sick, adding

The World Health Organization says COVID-19 is officially a pandemic.WHO director general Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the announcement at a news conference in Geneva, but is urging calm, saying with prevention, preparedness and political leadership it can be managed.He says calling the situation a pandemic doesn't change the organization's assessment of the threat from the illness or what countries should do to prepare and combat it.

Surrey’s proposed municipal police force would employ 1,150 staff, including 805 officers, at a cost of $192.5 million in 2021 — about $18.9 million more than the RCMP, according to a transition report chaired by former attorney general Wally Oppal. The report also outlines a $45.2 million one-time setup cost, while noting a 16% increase in front-line patrol officers. Mayor Doug McCallum says the plan will give Surrey more local control, but critics such as Coun. Brenda Locke warn it will place a heavy burden on taxpayers. Residents remain divided. Some, like Kamaljit Dhillon, fear higher

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the government is creating a one billion dollar COVID-19 response fund. He says he wants all premiers and Canadians to know that the government will make sure they have everything they need to keep everyone safe.Trudeau says the government is also waiving the current one-week waiting period for employment insurance. He says ``we get it and we're on it.''Trudeau says today's announcement is significant, but that the government is prepared to do more if need be.

Jyotiraditya Scindia joined the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) today. Scindia sent his resignation letter to Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi yesterday. On his resignation, Sachin Pilot tweeted his sadness over the fact that the differences between Scindia and the party could not be resolved in a more amicable manner. Scindia's resignation came amid political turmoil in Madhya Pradesh. Scindia had also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg earlier on March 10. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders had said that they would welcome Jyotiraditya Scindia if he wished to join th

Seven additional people in British Columbia have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the provincial total to 39. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says two of the new cases are health care workers at the same long term care facility where a small outbreak has already been identified. A total of eight cases are now linked to the Lynn Valley Care Centre, including two family members or close contacts of a health-care worker. Henry says the initial health-care worker who tested positive at the seniors facility has been admitted to hospital for monitoring, adding that no additional re