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northwest-territories-pausing-covid-19-vaccines-for-children-after-doses-expire
CanadaFeb 28, 2023

Northwest Territories pausing COVID-19 vaccines for children after doses expire

The Northwest Territories government says COVID-19 vaccines for children age six months to five years will be temporarily unavailable until a new shipment arrives in Canada.The territory says its current inventory of Moderna's Spikevax infant pediatric vaccine will soon expire.That vaccine will be available in the Northwest Territories until March 8.The territory says there will then be a gap of four to six weeks until a new supply is available for distribution.While Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine is also available for children in this age range, the territory says it does not have that va
conservative-ndp-leaders-suspend-use-of-tiktok-video-app-as-house-brings-in-own-ban
CanadaFeb 28, 2023

Conservative, NDP leaders suspend use of TikTok video app as House brings in own ban

Some Canadian politicians have started deactivating their TikTok accounts after the federal government decided to ban the app from government-issued devices.Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has already suspended his use of the TikTok video app and a spokesman says all members of caucus will do the same.NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he plans to step away from the social media platform, although did not say whether all of his MPs would follow suit.The House of Commons is also prohibiting the installation or use of the app on its managed devices beginning Friday.Treasury Board President Mona
canada-banning-video-app-tiktok-on-government-issued-mobile-devices
CanadaFeb 27, 2023

Canada banning video app TikTok on government-issued mobile devices

The federal government is banning TikTok from its mobile devices days after federal and provincial privacy commissioners launched an investigation into the social media platform.A statement from Treasury Board President Mona Fortier says the application will be removed from government-issued mobile devices on Tuesday.The statement says the decision follows a review by the chief information officer of Canada, who determined that TikTok "presents an unacceptable level of risk to privacy and security."Last week, the federal privacy watchdog and its counterparts in B.C., Alberta and Quebec announc
four-people-die-in-three-days-on-quebec-snowmobile-trails
CanadaFeb 27, 2023

Four people die in three days on Quebec snowmobile trails

Four Quebec snowmobilers have died in separate crashes since Friday.Provincial police say a man in his 60s died in St-Cuthbert, Que., around 90 kilometres northeast of Montreal, after his snowmobile collided with a tree yesterday morning.A day earlier, a man in his 50s died in Saguenay, Que., from injuries he suffered after his vehicle hit a tree.On Friday, a snowmobiler in his 40s died after colliding with another snowmobile in Quebec's Beauce-Centre region, south of Quebec City.Also on Friday, a snowmobiler in his 30s died after his snowmobile swerved off a trail in Ste-Hélène-de-Bagot, Qu
quebec-tables-bill-to-protect-rights-of-children-born-of-sexual-assault
CanadaFeb 24, 2023

Quebec tables bill to protect rights of children born of sexual assault

The Quebec government has tabled a bill that would make it illegal for someone who commits sexual assault to claim parental rights if the rape produces a child.Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette tabled Bill 12 on Thursday, permitting a mother who is the victim of sexual assault to refuse parental rights to her aggressor, or to have them revoked.The bill would also require the aggressor to meet certain needs of the child and to compensate the mother.It would also permit a child born of a sexual assault to be eligible to claim inheritance after the aggressor dies.Jolin-Barrette told a news co
head-of-canadas-drug-price-regulator-resigns-same-week-as-colleague-steps-down
CanadaFeb 24, 2023

Head of Canada's drug price regulator resigns same week as colleague steps down

The executive director of Canada's drug pricing regulator is stepping down, just days after another member resigned because of concerns that the federal government was undermining the regulator's work.Douglas Clark, executive director of the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board, announced today he will be leaving his post after almost a decade with the regulator.On Thursday, Matthew Herder, a professor of health law at Dalhousie University, announced he had resigned from the board, accusing the federal government of failing to implement critically important reforms that would lower the cost o
canada-to-introduce-open-work-permit-for-iranians-simplify-process-to-stay
CanadaFeb 23, 2023

Canada to introduce open work permit for Iranians, simplify process to stay

The federal government is rolling out special temporary measures to make it easier for Iranians in Canada to stay.As of March 1, measures will come into effect to simplify the process for Iranians who are visiting, studying in or working in Canada to extend their stay and switch between temporary streams.For Iranians already in Canada, an open work permit pathway will be introduced as well.The federal government will waive fees for passports, permanent resident travel documents and citizen certificates for Canadian citizens and permanent residents in Iran who wish to come back, and for those i
no-foreign-interference-report-more-than-one-year-after-liberal-government-re-elected
CanadaFeb 23, 2023

No foreign interference report more than one year after Liberal government re-elected

A panel tasked with flagging incidents of foreign interference in Canada's elections has still not released a report evaluating its own work in the 2021 election, more than a year after the Liberals won a second minority government.The Critical Election Incident Public Protocol was created to monitor and report on threats to the 2019 election with a mandate to continue its work during future elections.It's also supposed to do a postelection assessment of how it communicated with Canadians.An assessment was made public about seven months after the 2019 election, but a similar report for the 202
media-advocate-calls-googles-move-to-block-news-content-disrespectful-to-canadians
CanadaFeb 23, 2023

Media advocate calls Google's move to block news content disrespectful to Canadians

Advocates for the print and digital media industry say Google is disrespecting Canadian readers by temporarily blocking news to some of its users.News Media Canada president Paul Deegan says the action is unbecoming of the leading global company.Google confirmed on Wednesday that it's blocking less than four per cent of Canadian users from viewing news content in a five-week test run of a potential response to the Liberal government's online news bill.Bill C-18 would require digital giants such as Google and Meta, which owns Facebook, to negotiate deals to compensate Canadian media companies f

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fifteen-people-accused-in-b-c-extortion-cases-file-refugee-claims-cbsa-confirms
CanadaDec 12, 2025

Fifteen people accused in B.C. extortion cases file refugee claims, CBSA confirms

Canada’s border agency says 15 foreign nationals linked to ongoing extortion investigations have submitted refugee claims, a move that has drawn concern from local officials in Surrey as the region continues to grapple with a surge in extortion-related crime. The Canada Border Services Agency says each claimant will be assessed under federal asylum rules, but did not disclose the individuals’ nationalities or details of their applications. Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke says she is troubled by the development and argues that the public expects federal systems to prevent criminal suspects from u
worksafebc-issues-more-than-1-3-million-dollars-in-penalties-after-fatal-crane-incident-at-oakridge-park
BCDec 12, 2025

WorkSafeBC issues more than 1.3 million dollars in penalties after fatal crane incident at Oakridge Park

WorkSafeBC has levied more than 1.3 million dollars in fines against EllisDon Corporation and Newway Concrete Forming following a series of crane-related safety violations, including the February 2024 incident at Vancouver’s Oakridge Park development that killed construction worker Yuridia Flores. The penalties stem from multiple investigations involving highrise projects in Vancouver and Victoria. Flores died when a large concrete form mould – measuring nearly 10 metres by six metres – fell 26 storeys after accelerating out of the side of the building while being moved between floors. E
alberta-ends-fall-sitting-after-sweeping-use-of-notwithstanding-clause-draws-scrutiny
AlbertaDec 12, 2025

Alberta ends fall sitting after sweeping use of notwithstanding clause draws scrutiny

Alberta’s fall legislative session closed this week with Premier Danielle Smith’s government advancing two major bills that relied heavily on the Charter’s notwithstanding clause, a move that has renewed debate over the limits of provincial authority and the protection of individual rights. The clause was applied four times in the sitting, shielding the legislation from certain court challenges for up to five years. The government first invoked the clause when it passed a law ordering more than 51 thousand public school teachers back to work following a three-week provincewide strike. Th
AlbertaDec 12, 2025

Advocacy groups shift legal strategy in bid to challenge Alberta’s gender care law

Two national advocacy organizations say they are pivoting their legal strategy as they continue efforts to challenge Alberta’s restrictions on gender-affirming care for youth. Egale Canada and the Calgary-based Skipping Stone Foundation launched a constitutional challenge last year after the province passed legislation prohibiting doctors from prescribing puberty blockers or hormone therapy to people under 16, and from performing gender-affirming top surgery on anyone under 18. The groups say the path through the Charter of Rights and Freedoms has become significantly more difficult since th
IndiaDec 12, 2025

Threatening email targets multiple schools in Amritsar, prompting closures and police response

Authorities in Amritsar ordered an immediate shutdown of several private schools after administrators reported receiving an email threatening bomb attacks on campus. The message, sent to multiple institutions early Tuesday, triggered evacuations and a large-scale police deployment. Local officials said at least 15 well-known private schools were identified in the threat. Police teams, including the bomb squad and fire services, secured school grounds while investigators worked to verify the credibility of the email. The Deputy Commissioner directed schools to release students for the day as a