The White House has released a fact sheet in advance of this afternoon's virtual meeting between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U-S President Joe Biden.This is Biden's first bilateral meeting as president.The fact sheet describes plans for a ``road map'' for progress in areas of mutual interest, like COVID-19, climate change, defence and social justice.It makes no mention of certain Canadian priorities, such as procuring more vaccine doses, freeing Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig from China or securing an exemption to Biden's Buy American plan.Experts want Ottawa to push hard for an exem

Public health officials in British Columbia are reporting 1,428 new COVID-19 cases over the past three days, for a total of 77,263 since the pandemic began in the province.There have also been eight more deaths, bringing the number of fatalities linked to the new coronavirus to 1,335 in B.C. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix say in a joint statement that 218,726 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, of which 55,057 are second doses.Henry and Dix also reported two new health-care facility outbreaks at Vancouver General Hospital and Kelowna Gen

Canada's House of Commons voted unanimously in favour Monday of a Conservative motion declaring as genocide the atrocities committed against ethnic Muslim Uighurs in China's Xinjiang province. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and all of his Liberal cabinet ministers abstained from the politically charged vote, which took place mainly over video, and against the backdrop of all-but-frozen relations between Beijing and Ottawa. China has imprisoned two Canadian men, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, on what the government and dozens of its allies say are bogus charges in retaliation for the RCMP's

The faster-spreading COVID-19 variant first discovered in the United Kingdom has made its way into some British Columbia schools.A statement from the Fraser Health authority says it is working closely to manage exposures at six schools in the Surrey and Delta school districts.Five of the schools are in Surrey: Woodward Hill, James Ardiel and A. H. P Matthew elementaries, and Kwantlen Park and Tamanawis high schools, along with Hellings Elementary School in Delta.The authority says only those staff and students who have been identified as close contacts need to be tested and they have been con

British Columbia is recording 508 new COVID-19 cases. Health officials also announced six new deaths at a news conference today. The figures mean a total of 75,835 COVID-19 infections have been confirmed in BC since the pandemic began. British Columbia's death toll sits at 1,327. British Columbia has hit a one-day record for vaccinations as new preliminary data from residents of long-term care homes and health-care workers shows the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine reduces the risk of the virus within two to three weeks. B.C. used 12,250 vaccine doses yesterday, bringing the province's total

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government is adding 12 weeks of eligibility to two key benefits for unemployed workers and parents at home with children. The extra life for the Canada Recovery Benefit and the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit will raise the maximum number of weeks available to 38 from 26. Trudeau also says the federal sickness benefit will be expanded to four weeks from two so workers can stay home if they're feeling ill, or have to isolate because of COVID-19. And employment insurance eligibility is also getting stretched, allowing people who qualify to clai

Health officials in British Columbia are reminding residents to follow public health orders and restrictions after a significant rise in cases from earlier this week. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix say 617 new cases have been recorded, for a total of 75,327 infections. B.C. had 348 cases between Sunday and Monday, and the average has been under 500 daily infections in the last month. Dr. Henry and Dix say in a joint statement that much of the uptick in cases has been in the Lower Mainland and the northern region. They also reported four more deaths,

The Trudeau government has tabled legislation to repeal mandatory minimum penalties for certain drug offences, saying they do not deter crime and unfairly affect Indigenous and Black offenders. The bill introduced today would also allow for greater use of conditional sentences, such as house arrest, counselling or treatment, for people who do not pose a threat to public safety. In addition, it would require police and prosecutors to consider alternative measures for cases of simple possession of drugs, such as diversion to addiction-treatment programs. The office of Justice Minister David Lam

RCMP say they were called Wednesday night to a report of an assault at a home in the Panorama Ridge area of south Surrey. The critically injured man was found outside the home. He was given CPR and other emergency treatment but police say he died at the scene. Officers believe the victim and his attacker knew each other, but details are still being gathered. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team has joined the case and will handle the release of any further information.