The Public Health Agency of Canada says the death toll has risen to five in a salmonella outbreak linked to Malichita and Rudy brand cantaloupes. It says 129 people have been confirmed with salmonella linked to the outbreak, almost double the number at the last update on December 1st, when a single death had been recorded. There are also 17 cases in Ontario, 15 in British Columbia, and two each in Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador. The agency issued food recall warnings three times in November for Malichita cantaloupes sold between October 11th and November 14

Immigration Minister Marc Miller says Ottawa will require foreigners applying to study in Canada to have double the amount of funds currently required. Miller says the change is among those meant to ensure international students aren't left vulnerable to sketchy employers and unable to afford life in Canada. He is also warning provinces that the Liberals might limit visas if colleges and universities don't adequately support students, but he tells reporters that governments need to have more conversations before such changes. The Liberals are also ramping down a policy that lengthened the

Unions representing 420,000 Quebec public sector workers are beginning a weeklong strike today. The workers, including teachers, education support staff and lab technicians, are members of a group of unions that calls itself the "common front." The temporary strike comes after the common front rejected the government's most recent contract offer, which includes a salary increase of 12.7 per cent over five years. It is the group's third temporary strike since early November, and the unions say it will be the last before they launch an unlimited strike. Around 66,000 teachers who are members of

The Alberta legislature has wrapped up its fall sitting, passing nine bills this week that included legislation yesterday clearing the path for a referendum on the province quitting the Canada Pension Plan. To pass the bill, the U-C-P government's House Leader Joseph Schow put time limits on debate. He says he had no choice as the Opposition NDP signalled it would try to hold up the bill by endlessly debating it. New Democrats say the bill mandating a referendum be held before Alberta would leave the CPP contains a loophole that gives the government the option to ignore the results.

British Columbia's Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe has announced she is leaving her post after 13 years, deeply saddened the province has been unable to reduce the "tragic impacts" of toxic drugs on thousands of people. Lapointe says in a statement today the coroners service has been forever altered by the public health emergency that continues to take the lives of people of all ages in communities throughout B.C., including more than 2,000 people so far this year. Lapointe says recommendations by coroners service death-review panels, including providing a safe supply of drugs without prescription

Wheat production across Canada remained low this year, with wheat yields in Alberta down nearly 20 per cent. Wheat production declined due to hot, dry weather in the state. According to a Statistics Canada report, Canada's total wheat production in 2023 is expected to decline by about 7 percent to 32 million tonnes.Wheat production in other provinces such as Alberta also remained low. Saskatchewan recorded a 6.7 percent drop in wheat production. Dry conditions were the main cause of reduced production in the prairies. However, Manitoba recorded an 8 percent increase in wheat production this ye

The official Opposition is threatening to delay government work and hold up billions of dollars in spending if the Liberal government doesn't drastically revise its carbon-pricing plan. The Conservatives are delivering a taste of their plan with the introduction of as many as 20,000 amendments to an 11-page government bill that aims to create sustainable jobs as part of the transition to a net-zero emissions economy. The natural resources committee is set to go through the amendments, which the Tories believe could take months to vote on individually. The Opposition wants the federal carbon-pr

Mayor Ken Sim says he's moving to abolish Vancouver's elected Park Board, which is the only such body in any British Columbia city. Sim says at a news conference at City Hall that he'll be moving a motion next week to ask the province to amend the Vancouver Charter to bring its parks under city council control. He says this would involve eliminating the requirement for an elected Park Board, calling it a ``long overdue'' step representing a ``new level of accountability.'' He says the move will ensure long-term viability and growth of parks and recreation services, and the current system ``ju

It will no longer be easy for repeat offenders to get bail in Canada, after the government's opposition-backed bail reform bill has received royal assent. Justice Minister Arif Virani gave this information.He said that these changes are coming into effect from January 4, 2024. Bail system for repeat offenders involved in serious violent offenses under the Criminal Code Amendments Getting bail has been made more difficult.These amendments focus on reverse onus provisions, which means that the accused will be held in custody before trial unless he proves that his release would not pose a danger