Governor General Julie Payette says the lessons being learned from the COVID-19 pandemic will be useful for potential upcoming crises. Payette points out that natural disasters, like volcanic eruptions or asteroids, could cause major disruptions to life in Canada. She suggests science could help foresee those catastrophes and the country would have time to plan and react. Payette, a former astronaut, says one of the things she learned from her past job is to spend a lot of time planning when things are quiet so everyone is ready to work together when ``all hell breaks loose.''

Dr. Theresa Tam says it's a bad idea to go to a cottage or a second home if you risk straining local health resources. Rules and advice on how to apply that will vary from province to province and situation to situation, though. In Ontario, for instance, Premier Doug Ford has called on people who own cottages not to leave city homes for them over the upcoming Victoria Day weekend, after previously saying he thought it might be OK. Tam says part of the concern is about spreading the virus that causes COVID-19, and part is about simply having too many people heading to places that don't have the

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government, provinces and territories will spend $4 billion to increase the wages of essential workers in the COVID-19 pandemic.He says the details are still to be finalized with some provinces.But Trudeau says all the country's first ministers agree that front-line workers who are risking their health and make minimum wage deserve a raise.It will be up to each province to decide which workers count as ``essential'' and will get a top-up.Trudeau says Canadians are relying on these workers now, more than ever, and all provinces and territories work

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan says as of today, the Canadian Armed Forces will have 1,020 personnel committed to 20 long-term care homes in Quebec.He says that includes 670 medical and support staff inside the facilities, as well as 350 members providing outside support such as delivering personal protective equipment.Sajjan says by mid-May, more than 1,350 Forces members will be helping in 25 of the province's long-term care homes. There are also 265 Forces personnel assisting at five facilities in Ontario.Canadian Forces members are also helping in rural and remote regions doing in contact

There are 63,496 confirmed and presumptive cases in Canada. Quebec: 34,327 confirmed (including 2,510 deaths, 8,284 resolved) Ontario: 18,722 confirmed (including 1,429 deaths, 13,222 resolved) Alberta: 5,963 confirmed (including 112 deaths, 3,552 resolved) British Columbia: 2,255 confirmed (including 124 deaths, 1,494 resolved) Nova Scotia: 998 confirmed (including 41 deaths, 661 resolved) Saskatchewan: 512 confirmed (including 6 deaths, 312 resolved) Manitoba: 273 confirmed (including 7 deaths, 242 resolved), 11 presumptive Newfoundland and Labrador: 259 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 244 r

Six hearses lined up on the tarmac at Canadian Forces Base Trenton in Ontario today, as the Forces Members killed in Canada's worst military tragedy in more than a decade were welcomed home. The families of the dead and missing from last week's helicopter crash off Greece met privately with a mask-wearing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Trudeau and Governor-General Julie Payette then watched as the casket carrying the remains of Sub-Lieutenant Abbigail Cowbrough was carried from a heavy transport aircraft. The body of the 23-year-old sailor is the only one recovered from the Ionian Sea. The se

Quebec is reporting an additional 112 deaths from COVID-19, bringing the provincial total to 2,510. The total number of cases has risen to 34,327, an increase of 910 from the previous day. Of those cases, 8,284 are classified as recovered. There are 1,840 people in hospital, including 213 in intensive care. Deputy premier Genevieve Guilbault announced a $31-million government action plan to combat mental health impacts of the pandemic.

The chief public health officer has acknowledged that the number of deaths as a result of COVID-19 in Canada has now exceeded the national projections for potentially 3,883 deaths by May 5. Just over 4,100 people have died in Canada to date. Tam says the increased number of deaths is due to the tragic fact that those who were infected weeks ago are now coming to the end stages of COVID-19, and are passing away, most often those in long-term care facilities. But Dr. Theresa Tam points out that the epidemic still appears to be slowing down and that the doubling time for infections is now at abo

The Canadian Pharmacists Association says ongoing drug shortages mean pharmacies are receiving short shipments from manufacturers, leaving them to try to adjust on the fly.The association first warned of the possibility of looming shortages in early March, when supply chains were disrupted by COVID-19 in China.While Canada has seen a spike in shortages since then, it hasn't developed into the emergency situation some health officials had feared.Barry Power with the association says manufacturers and wholesalers have told them the rationing measures pharmacies are taking are helping to reduce d