CanadaMar 14, 2023
Driver in fatal Quebec crash ran down pedestrians randomly, including children: Cops
Police allege the driver of a pickup truck that killed two people and injured nine others in the eastern Quebec town of Amqui acted deliberately and with premeditation.Provincial police Sgt. Claude Doiron says the 38-year-old driver will appear in court later today.Doiron said the police investigation suggests the driver swerved from one side of the road to the other over a "certain distance" to hit victims who were chosen at random and who range in age from less than one year to 77.Gérald Charest, 65, and Jean Lafrenière, 73, were killed during the alleged attack.The injured include two chi
AlbertaMar 14, 2023
'A transformational decision' : Alberta requiring body cameras for all police services
Alberta plans to require all police services in the province to use body cameras.Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis says officers often respond to calls that are complex and make split-second decisions.He says that can raise concerns from the public about actions that have been taken and whether appropriate force was used.Ellis says the decision is transformational and would ensure all interactions with officers are objective in both large cities and smaller rural communities.He says Alberta would be the first province to mandate body cameras.The government will work with the Alberta Associatio
AlbertaMar 14, 2023
Alberta launching a new campaign to lure skilled workers from Ontario and Atlantic
The Alberta government has started a second campaign aimed at attracting more skilled workers from Ontario and Atlantic Canada.
Alberta Jobs Minister Brian Jean says the Alberta is Calling program is piggybacking on a similar effort announced by the government last summer.
The initial campaign targeted Canadians living in Toronto and Vancouver, while this time it focuses on those living in the Maritimes and parts of Ontario, including London, Hamilton, Windsor and Sudbury.
Jean says there are 100,000 vacancies for skilled workers in Alberta which has the highest wages in Canada.
Jennifer Hensh
CanadaMar 13, 2023
Professors begin indefinite general strike at Université Laval
An indefinite general strike is underway at Quebec City's Université Laval, where nearly 1,300 professors are off the job.The unionized professors went on strike today after a negotiation blitz between management and their union did not result in a new contract.The most recent collective agreement expired on Dec. 1, and the union has made a number of demands including equitable distribution of positions, better administrative supports, better work-life balance and workload management.The union members voted 94.5 per cent in favour of a strike mandate during a meeting on March 2, when nearly t
CanadaMar 13, 2023
Jesuits of Canada releases list of 27 members ‘credibly’ accused of child sex abuse
The Jesuits of Canada have released a list of priests and brothers they say were credibly accused of sexually abusing minors over the past 70 years.The Jesuits, a religious order of the Roman Catholic Church, released the list of 27 names today following an audit that began in 2020 that looked at documents going back to the 1950s.Of the men named, all but three are dead.The order says in a statement that the release of the names is part of the Jesuits' effort to promote transparency, accountability, justice and healing for survivors of abuse.In most cases, the abuse came to light after the all
CanadaMar 10, 2023
Ontario judge dismisses breach of trust charges against former Liberal MP Raj Grewal
An Ontario judge has dismissed two breach of trust charges against a former Liberal MP who had been accused of using his political office for personal gain.Ontario Superior Court of Justice judge Sylvia Corthorn revealed her decision in Raj Grewal's case this morning, bringing an end to the criminal trial that has dragged on since last summer.She said a reasonable jury, properly instructed, would not have been able to render a guilty verdict, and she found Grewal not guilty as a result.Grewal’s lawyer argued in a directed verdict application last month that prosecutors did not present enough
BCMar 10, 2023
BC public servants no longer required to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination
As of April 3, 2023, BC Public Service employees will no longer be required to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19.The decision to rescind the policy was made based on the high level of vaccination among public-service employees and the current state of the pandemic.More than 98% of employees met the requirement, which helped keep everyone safe.Rescinding the vaccination policy means a small number of employees on administrative leave due to non-compliance will be provided the opportunity to return to the workplace.The Public Service Agency has provided direction to ministries and wi
CanadaMar 10, 2023
Ottawa claws back $82M from health transfers to 8 provinces charging private fees
Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos says he is clawing $82 million in federal health transfers to the provinces for charging patients for services that should have been covered by the public purse.Eight provinces will see reductions in their next health transfer from the federal government over fees charged to patients in 2020 and 2021.Most of the deductions are related to fees for diagnostic services such as MRIs and CT scans.The federal Liberal government enacted a new policy on diagnostic services in 2020 ensuring fees for such tests were covered by the Canada Health Act's single-payer policy.
CanadaMar 10, 2023
Law delaying expansion of assisted dying regime to March 2024 passes
A Liberal bill to delay the planned expansion of Canada's medically assisted dying regime has passed third reading in the Senate.The expansion, which was originally slated for March 17, would include people whose sole underlying condition is a mental disorder.Justice Minister David Lametti announced the delay in February, saying more time was needed to ensure health-care professionals and Canadian society were prepared for the expansion.That will now happen one year later, in March 2024.Federal officials say the delay will allow more time to develop practice standards and assessment guidelines