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CanadaAug 28, 2020

Plan for inevitable COVID-19 cases in schools, says chief public health officer

Canada's chief public health officer says families should expect to see cases of COVID-19 in schools as children head back to class in the coming weeks. Dr. Theresa Tam says it is important that each school have a plan and that everyone knows what to do when there's an outbreak of the novel coronavirus. At a media briefing in Ottawa today, she says it is normal to feel stressed about the fact many students are returning to classrooms.But she emphasizes that planning and awareness can help ease anxiety. Tam says while Canada generally has quite low levels of COVID-19, it doesn't mean families w
federal-deficit-through-june-hits-120-billion-finance-department
CanadaAug 28, 2020

Federal deficit through June hits $120 billion: Finance Department

The federal deficit soared to 120.4-billion-dollars in the first quarter of Ottawa's fiscal year, up from a deficit of 85-million a year ago. The Finance Department says the treasury was pumping out emergency aid to businesses and workers to cushion the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Major transfers to persons, which includes seniors benefits, employment insurance payments, the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, and children's benefits jumped 193.5 per cent year-over-year, to almost 70.6-billion-dollars.
canadian-economy-posted-record-drop-in-q2-due-to-pandemic
CanadaAug 28, 2020

Canadian economy posted record drop in Q2 due to pandemic

Statistics Canada says the economy posted its steepest decline on record in the second quarter as the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of non-essential businesses and slowed the economy to a crawl.The agency says real gross domestic product contracted at an annualized rate of 38.7 per cent for the three-month period.Economists had expected a contraction in the quarter at an annualized rate of 39.6 per cent, according to financial markets data firm Refinitiv.Almost every single component of the economy that works into calculating GDP was at its lowest point over April, May and June driven
432-covid-19-cases-reported-in-canada-over-100-cases-reported-in-ontario-quebec-and-alberta
CanadaAug 28, 2020

432 COVID-19 cases reported in Canada, over 100 cases reported in Ontario, Quebec and Alberta

There are 126,848 confirmed cases in Canada. Quebec: 62,056 confirmed (including 5,750 deaths, 55,008 resolved) Ontario: 41,813 confirmed (including 2,803 deaths, 37,940 resolved) Alberta: 13,318 confirmed (including 237 deaths, 11,923 resolved) British Columbia: 5,372 confirmed (including 204 deaths, 4,253 resolved) Saskatchewan: 1,609 confirmed (including 24 deaths, 1,527 resolved) Nova Scotia: 1,081 confirmed (including 65 deaths, 1,011 resolved) Manitoba: 1,064 confirmed (including 14 deaths, 643 resolved) Newfoundland and Labrador: 268 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 265 resolved) New Bru
nhl-postpones-all-games-thursday-friday-after-police-shooting-nba-games-also-postponed
CanadaAug 27, 2020

NHL postpones all games Thursday, Friday after police shooting, NBA games also postponed

The NHL has postponed all four of its playoff games scheduled for Thursday and Friday in the aftermath of the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, in Wisconsin last weekend. The players requested the postponements and the league supported the decision, the NHL and NHL Players' Association said in a joint statement. The New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers were scheduled to play in Toronto and the Vancouver Canucks and Vegas Golden Knights were slated to square off in Edmonton on Thursday. Tonight's NBA playoff game between the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics has been postpone
canada-china-covid-19-vaccine-trials-abandoned-national-research-council
CanadaAug 27, 2020

Canada-China COVID-19 vaccine trials abandoned: National Research Council

A COVID-19 vaccine-development partnership between China's CanSino Biologics and Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia has been abandoned. The National Research Council of Canada said today in a statement the CanSino vaccine intended for phase one clinical trials has not been approved by Chinese customs for shipment to Canada. Because of that delay the NRC says the opportunity to conduct the trials is over.The NRC says the Canadian Center for Vaccinology had been ready to start clinical trials as early as June, after Health Canada approved CanSino's proposal.The Halifax lab was one of several i
CanadaAug 27, 2020

Explosion in mail-in voting expected if election held amid pandemic

Elections Canada has commissioned a poll that suggests 21.8 per cent of voters would prefer to cast their ballots by mail if there is a federal election this fall. The poll shows 58 per cent would prefer to vote in-person at advance or election-day polling stations. Fewer than 50-thousand people cast ballots by mail in last year's election, but research suggests that number could shoot up to about four-million. That's prompting Elections Canada to warn an increased volume of mail-in ballots could delay the release of election results.
tories-ask-speaking-agency-to-release-records-on-wes-payments-to-trudeau-family
CanadaAug 27, 2020

Tories ask speaking agency to release records on WE's payments to Trudeau family

The Conservatives are urging the speaking agency through which WE Charity paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to Justin Trudeau's family members to hand over documents about the arrangements.In a letter to Speakers' Spotlight, Conservative MP Michael Barrett notes the House of Commons ethics committee had asked the agency to produce the documents last month.The agency subsequently asked for an extension before the prime minister prorogued Parliament until Sept. 23, ending four committee investigations into the WE affair.Barrett says the committee agreed to extension in good faith, and that
big-increase-of-covid-19-cases-in-ontario-and-alberta-448-cases-reported-in-canada
CanadaAug 27, 2020

Big increase of COVID-19 cases in Ontario and Alberta, 448 cases reported in Canada

There are 126,417 confirmed cases in Canada. Quebec: 61,945 confirmed (including 5,747 deaths, 54,922 resolved) Ontario: 41,695 confirmed (including 2,802 deaths, 37,863 resolved) Alberta: 13,210 confirmed (including 235 deaths, 11,799 resolved) British Columbia: 5,304 confirmed (including 203 deaths, 4,199 resolved) Saskatchewan: 1,604 confirmed (including 24 deaths, 1,520 resolved) Nova Scotia: 1,081 confirmed (including 65 deaths, 1,011 resolved) Manitoba: 1,043 confirmed (including 13 deaths, 622 resolved) Newfoundland and Labrador: 268 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 265 resolved) New Bru

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Jimmy Lai found guilty in Hong Kong national security case that draws global concern

Hong Kong’s High Court has convicted veteran media entrepreneur and pro-democracy advocate Jimmy Lai in one of the most closely watched national security cases since Beijing imposed the law on the city in 2020. A panel of three judges approved by the government ruled Monday that Lai conspired with others to collude with foreign forces and took part in publishing what authorities described as seditious material. Lai, 78, is the founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, once one of Hong Kong’s most widely read and outspokenly critical publications. He pleaded not guilty to all charge
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Prime Minister Modi arrives in Jordan for two-day official visit

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Jordan on Monday for a two-day official visit aimed at strengthening diplomatic and economic ties between the two countries. He was received at the airport by Jordanian Prime Minister Jafar Hassan. During the first day of his visit, Prime Minister Modi met members of the Indian-origin community in Jordan, highlighting the role of people-to-people connections in deepening bilateral relations. The visit is taking place at the invitation of Jordan’s King Abdullah. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi and King Abdullah are expected to hold bilateral talk
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CanadaDec 12, 2025

Fifteen people accused in B.C. extortion cases file refugee claims, CBSA confirms

Canada’s border agency says 15 foreign nationals linked to ongoing extortion investigations have submitted refugee claims, a move that has drawn concern from local officials in Surrey as the region continues to grapple with a surge in extortion-related crime. The Canada Border Services Agency says each claimant will be assessed under federal asylum rules, but did not disclose the individuals’ nationalities or details of their applications. Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke says she is troubled by the development and argues that the public expects federal systems to prevent criminal suspects from u
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BCDec 12, 2025

WorkSafeBC issues more than 1.3 million dollars in penalties after fatal crane incident at Oakridge Park

WorkSafeBC has levied more than 1.3 million dollars in fines against EllisDon Corporation and Newway Concrete Forming following a series of crane-related safety violations, including the February 2024 incident at Vancouver’s Oakridge Park development that killed construction worker Yuridia Flores. The penalties stem from multiple investigations involving highrise projects in Vancouver and Victoria. Flores died when a large concrete form mould – measuring nearly 10 metres by six metres – fell 26 storeys after accelerating out of the side of the building while being moved between floors. E
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AlbertaDec 12, 2025

Alberta ends fall sitting after sweeping use of notwithstanding clause draws scrutiny

Alberta’s fall legislative session closed this week with Premier Danielle Smith’s government advancing two major bills that relied heavily on the Charter’s notwithstanding clause, a move that has renewed debate over the limits of provincial authority and the protection of individual rights. The clause was applied four times in the sitting, shielding the legislation from certain court challenges for up to five years. The government first invoked the clause when it passed a law ordering more than 51 thousand public school teachers back to work following a three-week provincewide strike. Th