Via Rail says it is temporarily laying off 1,000 employees due to blockades that continue to stop service on CN tracks in Eastern Canada. The Crown corporation has suspended passenger trains on its Montreal-Toronto and Ottawa-Toronto routes for about two weeks in the wake of protests that have disrupted rail service across the country. Via says it commends ongoing dialogue efforts between government and demonstrators at rail blockades in support of Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs who oppose a natural gas pipeline in British Columbia. Via says it is proceeding with temporary suspensions of the

The Conservatives may introduce a non-confidence motion linked to the Liberals' response to the rail blockades that have virtually shut down freight and passenger service across the country. Via Rail announced this afternoon it will temporarily lay off close to one-thousand employees due to the rail line closures. Conservative House Leader Candice Bergen says party members don't believe the Trudeau government's strategy of dialogue instead of issuing deadlines to protesters is going to solve the crisis. Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller says we are a nation of peace, order and good gov

A blockade has been set up on a CN rail line in Edmonton in support of Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs who opposed a natural gas pipeline in British Columbia.A group called Cuzzins for Wet'suwet'en says on Twitter that it's staging the protest "in solidarity with the Wet'suwet'en." It has posted photos showing a blockade of wooden crates on the train line, with signs reading "No Consent" and "No Pipelines on Stolen Land."A statement from CN says CN police and local police services are responding.The rail company says trains aren't moving on the track and CN will take necessary legal action unde

Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs say they won't meet with Crown Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett and BC Indigenous Relations Minister Scott Fraser until a small, mobile RCMP detachment is removed from their land. That is one of the talking points in discussions aimed at bringing an end to rail and road blockades. The RCMP says discussions are underway on next steps. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe will hold a conference call with the rest of the premiers today and is criticizing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for not ending the blockades.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland has offered effusive thanks to New Democrats and stinging criticism of the Conservatives after the NDP supported the minority Liberal government's efforts to more speedily ratify the new North American trade agreement. Freeland said the government wanted to end study by a House of Commons committee of the new deal, which replaces the quarter-century-old North American Free Trade Agreement. Both the United States and Mexico have formally ratified the new pact, which was reached after the Trump administration in Washington foisted a renegotiation on its t

RCMP say one of their officers narrowly avoided being run down by a woman by hopping on the hood of his cruiser. Mounties say in a news release the officer tried to stop the woman after identifying her vehicle as one allegedly associated with fuel thefts in the southern Interior. They allege she rammed into his cruiser when he tried to block her way, and she accelerated toward him after he exited the vehicle. The 44-year-old woman from 100 Mile House faces multiple charges, including dangerous driving, flight from police and assaulting a police officer with a weapon.

Ontario now has no novel coronavirus cases under investigation.A daily update from the provincial government shows that 421 people have been tested in the province over the past several weeks, and nearly all were negative for the virus.Three people in Ontario tested positive for the virus, called COVID-19, all of whom had a recent travel history to the affected area in China.At least one of the cases has since completely recovered, with tests showing she no longer has the virus in her system.There have been eight confirmed cases in Canada, including five in British Columbia.In China, more than

Via Rail says partial service is set to resume between Quebec City, Montreal and Ottawa beginning Thursday.Almost all other Via Rail services remain cancelled with the exception of Sudbury White River and Churchill The Pas, until further notice.Via trains have been disrupted by protests by people showing solidarity with the hereditary Wet'suwet'en chiefs opposing the Coastal GasLink project.Protestors have blocked rail lines across the country and disrupted freight and passenger traffic.Via says the partial resumption of service between Ottawa and Quebec City follows a notification received fr

The federal government is asking for more time to amend the assisted-dying law, acknowledging that it can't meet a court imposed deadline to drop a provision that allows only those who are already near death to qualify for medical help to end their lives. Justice Minister David Lametti filed a motion Monday requesting a four-month extension on the court ruling. Quebec Superior Court Judge Christine Baudouin ruled last September that it is unconstitutional to limit the right to a medically assisted death to those whose natural death is "reasonably foreseeable." She gave the government until Ma