Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet is blasting the prime minister's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, calling Justin Trudeau's pledge that vaccines will start to arrive in the coming months "unacceptable."Trudeau sought to reassure Canadians yesterday even as he acknowledged that some other countries are likely to start inoculating their citizens first, citing Canada's low capacity to churn out vaccines.Blanchet says the federal government should have moved sooner to help obtain manufacturing rights and beef up production capacity on Canadian soil.The United States, Britain and Ger

Alberta is bringing in tougher COVID-19 restrictions that include limits on social gatherings and less face-to-face class time for students. Premier Jason Kenney says there are to be no indoor gatherings, but people who live alone can have up to two personal contacts. He says students in Grades 7 through 12 will transition next week to at-home learning and the school holiday break will be extended from December 18th to January 11th. Banquet halls, conference centres and concert venues must also close. Older students will be sent home from school at the end of the month, indoor social gatheri

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is acknowledging countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany could have some of their citizens vaccinated against COVID-19 before Canadians can get their own shots. He says that's because those countries have their own vaccine-production facilities and Canada doesn't. Rebuilding that capacity will take years, but Trudeau says the federal government has started the work. He says having pre-bought an array of vaccine candidates from foreign manufacturers will help get Canadians effective doses as soon as possible. But he adds it's premature t

British Columbia health officials are reporting a dramatic spike in COVID-19 cases, while they order a pause indoor physical activities. B.C. recorded 941 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday and 10 deaths. There are 7,732 active COVID-19 cases in B.C., and 284 people are in hospital. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix say in a joint statement that residents need to support B.C.'s health-care workers by slowing the spread of COVID-19. The latest peak in numbers comes as health officials ordered dance studios, yoga studios and other indoor physical activity s

Federal Procurement Minister Anita Anand says Canada is working on an "end-to-end" chain for handling new COVID-19 vaccines as soon as they're delivered to Canada. That includes buying 126 freezers, including 26 ultra-cold ones, to hold millions of doses of vaccines that need to be kept at extraordinarily low temperatures. The government is also seeking private bidders to run the logistics, and determining whether the military has a role to play. Anand says storing and transporting vaccines safely is a top priority, especially when they have short shelf lives. Government officials say manufac

BC Hydro says its latest report shows people around the province are coping with pandemic restrictions by boosting holiday spirits with brighter, more elaborate lighting displays and decorations. An online survey of 800 people shows more than 90 per cent think COVID-19 will affect their holiday celebrations but about 20 per cent plan to do more indoor and outdoor decorating to combat the disappointment. Almost two-thirds say they will put up an outdoor display with 22 per cent expecting to use an average of eight strands of lights and 10 per cent firing up more than 10 strands, a three per ce

A University of BC researcher is being hailed for an innovation that uses salt to destroy COVID-19 droplets on reusable masks. Recent PhD graduate Ilaria Rubino used a salt and water solution on the first or middle layer of a mask and found as droplets were exhaled through the mask, spiky salt crystals would develop and damage the bacteria or virus within minutes. Rubino receives an innovation award today from Mitacs, a not-for-profit organization honouring academic researchers, and joins Simon Fraser University Chemistry PhD student Audrey Taylor at the virtual ceremony. Taylor is being reco

Dr. Theresa Tam says wrestling COVID-19 back under control depends heavily on individual Canadians restricting their activities. Canada's chief public health officer says the country is facing outbreaks in places that didn't have them during the first wave of the pandemic in the spring. And after the current second wave hit younger adults first, more and more cases are being reported in older, more vulnerable people. The Public Health Agency of Canada says on an average day in the past week, more than 2,000 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 and 70 people died. Dr. Tam says we know more n

Afghan officials say a roadside bomb attack in central Afghanistan has killed at least 13 civilians and a traffic policeman. The attack Tuesday comes as government negotiators and the Taliban meet to find an end to decades of war. A spokesman for the Interior Ministry says 45 others were wounded in a late afternoon blast in Bamiyan city in Bamiyan province. Several shops and vehicles were destroyed or damaged in the attack. A provincial official says there were two bombs that exploded in quick succession. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but the Islamic State group aff