The head of Canada's COVID-19 vaccine distribution program says a practice run next week will help get those involved comfortable with the intense requirements of distributing a compound that has to be kept below minus-70 Celsius at all times. Major General Dany Fortin says the military has been working with the government for months to prepare for eventual vaccine distribution, and Monday's dress rehearsal will involve officials from every province and territory. He says by practicing now, everyone will be ready when the first doses begin arriving in January. Health Canada has said it expect

The Quebec government is cancelling its plan to allow gatherings over four days at Christmas. Premier Francois Legault announced today the province will no longer permit multi-household gatherings of up to 10 people between Dec. 24 and 27, as had been planned. Legault first announced the Christmas plan on Nov. 19, saying people could get together as long as they quarantined for a week before and a week after the holiday period. But with COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths on the rise and a health system deemed fragile due to a lack of staffing, Legault says it's not realistic to think

Deputy Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Howard Njoo says there is light at the end of the tunnel. Njoo says Health Canada is expected to approve COVID-19 vaccines for emergency use early in the new year, triggering one of the most ambitious vaccination programs in Canadian history. He says there will eventually be enough vaccine doses for every Canadian. The military is going to conduct a practice run on Monday to ensure the plan to distribute vaccines will work. News of the vaccine program comes as Ontario reported a near-record 1,824 new COVID-19 infections and Quebec reported 1,470 new case

Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole says the Liberal government's failure to be transparent about plans to roll out the COVID-19 vaccine is fuelling anxiety among Canadians. O'Toole says a plan should help provide details about the vaccine candidates and educate Canadians on their research and approval. He says information is just as important a tool in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic as rapid tests. The Conservatives have a motion before the House of Commons today that calls on the Liberals to present specific details on their vaccine rollout strategy by Dec 16. Among other things, the T

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his government is fine-tuning its COVID-19 vaccination plan to ensure Canadians can get inoculated as soon as doses are available. But opposition parties are criticizing the Liberals' reluctance to reveal exactly how and when it will distribute a vaccine once one is approved by Health Canada. Opposition Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole questioned the prime minister about his vaccine plan today in the House of Commons.The Conservatives are expected to introduce a motion tomorrow that could compel the government to release details of the plan by the middle of

The Conservatives are criticizing the Trudeau government for not moving faster after Britain became the first country in the world to approve Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use. Health Canada is still reviewing the drug. Conservative MP Michael Barrett says Canadians are being forced to wait. He said the people in the UK, and soon the US and other countries are preparing to get vaccinated.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the vote on the tens of billions in new spending measures in the fall economic statement will be a confidence measure. That means the minority Liberal government could fall, sending the country into a winter pandemic election if at least one of the opposition parties don't support it. Trudeau doesn't think anyone wants an election now. He says he's confident of opposition support given the need for many of the proposed measures. PM says, 80 per cent of the money spent to support Canadians during the pandemic has come from the federal government Prime Ministe

The Oscar-nominated Canadian star of the film "Juno" has come out as transgender. The Halifax-raised Elliot Page, formerly known as Ellen Page, made the announcement in a powerful post on social media. The star of the Toronto-shot Netflix series "The Umbrella Academy" says his preferred pronouns are he/they. Page's letter thanks those who have supported him along the journey, and addresses the trauma trans people face from discrimination, hateful acts, and a lack of rights. He says it feels remarkable "to finally love" who he is enough to pursue his "authentic self." And he's been "endlessly

Procurement Minister Anita Anand says there has been significant misinformation about the doses of COVID-19 vaccines the government has procured and when they will start arriving. Anand says Canada was one of the first countries to sign a deal to get doses of Moderna's vaccine candidate, and the fourth to sign a deal with Pfizer. Health Canada is currently reviewing four potential COVID-19 vaccines. Pending regulatory approval, Anand says vaccine doses will begin arriving in the new year.