Quebec health officials have confirmed a case of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. Health Minister Christian Dubé made the announcement today at a news conference. Dubé says 115 people who recently travelled to the province, principally from countries in southern Africa, have been asked to take a PCR test and to isolate. Ontario reported Canada's first two cases of the Omicron variant of concern on the weekend. The province said today the two infected people were recently in Nigeria and were tested for the virus in Montreal before travelling on to Ottawa.

Canada has banned visitors from southern Africa after the discovery of a new variant of concern in the region. The new variant, deemed Omicron, first emerged in South Africa and coincided with a steep rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in that region in recent weeks, according to the World Health Organization. The ban will apply to foreign nationals who transited through a list of seven countries in the last 14 days, including South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Namibia and eSwatini. Those already in Canada who recently travelled through the region will need to quarantine

The federal government is proposing a new bill that would make it illegal to intimidate health workers to the point it impedes them from doing their job. The federal Liberals have introduced a bill that would provide 10 days of paid sick leave to federally regulated workers and create two new Criminal Code offences for anyone threatening health-care workers. Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan says the sick leave plugs a hole in the social safety net that was exposed by the pandemic. The Liberals want to see the bill pass in Parliament before M-Ps go on their holiday break in the middle of December

General Wayne Eyre has been officially appointed Canada's next chief of the defence staff. He had been filling in for Admiral Art McDonald, who stepped down in August because of an investigation into alleged sexual misconduct. No charges were laid by police and McDonald wanted to be reinstated as CDS. Today, Defence Minister Anita Anand announced the permanent promotion for Eyre. McDonald has been put on leave for now.

The Trudeau Liberals have outlined their latest aid package for an economy recovering from COVID-19. They're proposing targeted support to severely affected businesses, locked-down workers, and extra weeks of benefits that expired just days ago. The legislation introduced in the House of Commons today is one of four bills the government wants MPs to pass before the middle of December ahead of a scheduled winter break. The Liberals are proposing to send $300 per week to workers who find themselves off the job because of a ``COVID-19-related public health lockdown in their region'' between now

Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole insists his caucus is united in supporting him and that those who allow their frustrations or personal agendas to get in the way won't be part of his team. O'Toole kicked Saskatchewan Senator Denise Batters out of caucus late yesterday after she called for an early review of his leadership. Sen. Denise Batters is taking off the gloves in her fight with Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole. O'Toole announced late Tuesday that the Saskatchewan senator was being expelled from the Conservative caucus after she launched a petition calling for a referendum on his leader

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his government is supporting recovery efforts in B-C and will help maintain supply chain routes after devastating rainfall and flooding. Trudeau says he spoke with Premier John Horgan and several mayors last night about what he called a ``terrifically bad situation.'' In addition to sending in the Armed Forces, Trudeau says they'll also be lending a hand with cleanup and rebuilding in the aftermath of these extreme weather events. The prime minister made the statements from Washington, where he's attending a meeting with the presidents of the United States a

Health Canada has approved the use of Moderna's m-R-N-A vaccine for booster shots for adults 18 and older, to be used at least six months after the second shot.The Spikevax COVID-19 booster is a half-dose of the regular vaccine.Chief public health officer Doctor Theresa Tam released new monitoring this morning showing an average of close to 25-hundred new cases of COVID-19 are being reported daily nationwide, up 11 per cent from last week.

Edmonton's first racialized mayor and a diverse city council sworn in Tuesday afternoon. Amarjeet Sohi, an immigrant from India and a former federal Liberal cabinet minister, won the municipal election last week. He will lead the capital's most diverse council yet.Eight of the 13 council members are women and four are people of colour.Sohi says in a statement that he is excited for the ceremony, which will abide with all public health orders related to COVID-19. Edmonton's council will have its first meeting following the swearing-in ceremony.