CanadaJul 16, 2020
Commons finance committee to begin probing WE Charity's volunteering contract
The first of multiple parliamentary investigations of the federal government's aborted deal with WE Charity to run a volunteering program begins this afternoon.The House of Commons finance committee is set to hear from Youth Minister Bardish Chagger and some senior public servants as it probes how WE got a sole-sourced contract to administer the $900-million program.The Canada Student Service Grant is aimed at students who haven't been able to find work this summer, offering up to $5,000 toward education costs in exchange for 500 hours of volunteering.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has admitte
CanadaJul 16, 2020
COVID-19 cases show rising trend in Canada
There are 108,829 confirmed cases in Canada. Quebec: 56,859 confirmed (including 5,636 deaths, 26,097 resolved) Ontario: 37,052 confirmed (including 2,732 deaths, 32,920 resolved) Alberta: 8,994 confirmed (including 163 deaths, 8,127 resolved) British Columbia: 3,149 confirmed (including 189 deaths, 2,753 resolved) Nova Scotia: 1,067 confirmed (including 63 deaths, 1,002 resolved) Saskatchewan: 881 confirmed (including 15 deaths, 791 resolved) Manitoba: 319 confirmed (including 7 deaths, 318 resolved), 11 presumptive Newfoundland and Labrador: 262 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 258 resolved)
CanadaJul 15, 2020
David Sidoo sentenced for 3 months for college admissions scam in United States
A former Canadian Football League player was sentenced Wednesday to three months in prison for hiring someone take the SATs in place of his two sons.David Sidoo, who played professional football for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and B.C. Lions, lowered his head into his hands and cried as U.S. District Judge Nathaniel Gorton chided him for his actions. Sidoo told the judge he's "deeply ashamed.""I make no excuses. I broke the law. I pled guilty to a crime and now I must pay for my actions," Sidoo said.Sidoo appeared before the Boston federal court judges via videoconference because of the coron
CanadaJul 15, 2020
Bloc leader Yves-Francois Blanchet denies anonymous allegations against him
The leader of the Bloc Quebecois is categorically denying allegations that were made against him Tuesday night in an anonymous Facebook post.Yves-Francois Blanchet reacted today through his spokeswoman, Carolane Landry.Landry says in a statement that Blanchet "unequivocally denies" the allegations, adding the Bloc leader is inviting the person who published the post to make an official complaint to authorities.Landry says it is Blanchet's continued wish that the justice system be used to protect real victims of criminal acts.She says Blanchet will continue his professional activities as Bloc l
BCJul 15, 2020
Jagmeet Singh on 'Sver Wala Show': If evidence emerges, police should also investigate WE Charity contract
Leader of the Federal NDP, Jagmeet Singh shared his views on important political issues, on Connect FM's 'Sver Wala Show' this morning.Singh says that Public Services and Procurement Canada is a highly capable agency, and government should have undertaken the responsibility of administering Canada Student Service Grant on their own instead of giving it away to WE Charity.He says if substantial relevant evidence emerges out of the WE Charity probe, then police should also investigate the issue.About Canada's China policy, he agreed with government's decision to not swap Meng Wanzhou for the two
CanadaJul 15, 2020
Bank of Canada holds rate, forecasts GDP decline of 7.8% this year
The Bank of Canada is holding its key interest rate at 0.25 per cent in response to what it calls the ``extremely uncertain'' economic outlook from the COVID-19 pandemic, and plans to keep it there until the picture improves.In its updated outlook, the bank expects the economy to contract by 7.8 per cent this year.The central bank's report pegs the annual inflation rate at 0.6 per cent this year, rising to 1.2 per cent in 2021 and 1.7 per cent in 2022.Its inflation target is 2 per cent, and the bank says it will maintain the current rate until that target is achieved.The forecasts come with a
CanadaJul 15, 2020
331 cases reported in Canada, Alberta showing consistency in increasing number of COVID-19 cases
There are 108,486 confirmed cases in Canada. Quebec: 56,730 confirmed (including 5,633 deaths, 26,025 resolved) Ontario: 36,950 confirmed (including 2,723 deaths, 32,785 resolved) Alberta: 8,912 confirmed (including 163 deaths, 8,048 resolved) British Columbia: 3,128 confirmed (including 189 deaths, 2,730 resolved) Nova Scotia: 1,066 confirmed (including 63 deaths, 1,000 resolved) Saskatchewan: 876 confirmed (including 15 deaths, 785 resolved) Manitoba: 319 confirmed (including 7 deaths, 318 resolved), 11 presumptive Newfoundland and Labrador: 262 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 258 resolved)
CanadaJul 14, 2020
Nearly 270,000 Conservatives eligible to vote in leadership contest
The national Conservative party says it has 269,469 members eligible to vote in the current leadership race.About 100,000 of those memberships were purchased since the start of the year, when the contest to replace current leader Andrew Scheer officially began.The party released the figures today and says it is the largest membership in party history.Tories say the largest growth in membership has come in Nova Scotia, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador and Alberta.Conservatives use a points system to elect a leader — each riding gets 100 points, and how many points a candidate receives depend
CanadaJul 14, 2020
Senators call for changes to COVID-19 aid and more transparency on spending
The Senate's finance committee says the Trudeau Liberals need to tell people very soon what they will do for those who max out a key federal COVID-19 benefit in the fall without jobs to go back to.The $500-a-week Canada Emergency Response Benefit is set to run out in September for millions of workers who have seen their incomes shrink or dry up entirely.The committee's report recommends the government provide declining CERB payments as incomes rise, rather than applying the current strict cut-off.Senators are also calling on the Liberals to consider a guaranteed income program to make sure all