A common front of four major Quebec labour unions has voted 95 per cent for an unlimited general strike mandate.The unions are negotiating as one and represent 420,000 public sector workers in health care, education and social services.Éric Gingras, president of the CSQ union, says the strong mandate announced today shows members are fed up and want better working conditions.François Énault, vice-president of the Confederation of National Trade Unions, says if workers choose to strike, it likely won't happen before November.The unions are seeking a three-year contract with annual increases

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says an Israeli with ties to Canada who had been missing is now confirmed dead, amid the continued fallout from Hamas's recent surprise attacks on Israel.Joly is offering condolences to the family of Tiferet Lapidot, who she said was one of three Canadians reported missing after Hamas attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing more than 1,400 people and setting off a war that has left more than 4,000 dead on both sides.The minister says that during her recent trip to Israel, she met with Lapidot's Canadian father in Tel Aviv, as well as Lapidot's uncle,

The parliamentary budget officer says the implementation of a digital services tax would raise $7.2 billion over five years.The Liberals' spring budget confirmed their intention to implement the tax, which is designed to ensure that tech giants pay their fair share of taxes in countries where they earn revenue without having a physical presence.The tax would apply to businesses with annual worldwide revenues of 750,000 euros and more, as well as annual Canadian digital services revenue of more than $20 million.The policy, which has been met with pushback from the U.S., is supposed to come into

Canada's inflation rate fell to 3.8 percent in September, down from 4 percent in August.This figure has been reported by Statistics Canada on Tuesday.The figures show a steeper fall in inflation than economists had expected.The data agency said that the decline in the cost of living was recorded due to decline in the prices of several goods and services, including travel, durable goods and some grocery items.Gasoline prices fell 1.3 percent during September, but were still 7.5 percent higher than last year, making fuel prices one of the biggest drivers of annual inflation.If gasoline were excl

The fifth Canadian killed in the Israel-Hamas war has been identified as a 21-year-old man.The name of the young man who died in this attack is Netta Epstein.Speaking to reporters on a TV channel, Netta Epstein's mother said that Epstein died after jumping on a grenade to save his fiancée.Five Canadians have been confirmed dead in the Israel-Hamas war so far and three more are reported missing.Among the dead are two girls and three boys.As of Sunday, an estimated 1,000 Canadians and their families had been flown from Israel to Athens through a Canadian Armed Forces military operation.

Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly has posted information on X that a group of Canadians have crossed the border by bus from the West Bank and entered Jordan safely.Jolie thanked the teams in Ramallah, Amman, Tel-Aviv and Ottawa, saying it was possible with the support of teams working 24 hours a day.According to the information received, a group of 30 people left by bus.This group mainly includes Canadians and citizens of Australia and New Zealand.There were 21 Canadians on the bus.Global Affairs Canada said it is using two buses to evacuate Canadians from the West Bank.About 2

The federal New Democrats plan to make pharmacare a central issue in the next election if the Liberals do not meet the bar the opposition party has set for legislation to reduce the cost of prescription drugs.The confidence-and-supply deal that sees the NDP supporting the minority Liberals on key votes in the House of Commons says the government will introduce a bill to create a framework for national pharmacare this year.NDP members have drawn a line in the sand by passing an emergency resolution at their policy convention in Hamilton this weekend thatsays the party should withdraw its suppor

Global Affairs Canada has confirmed the death of a fifth Canadian in Israel after a series of attacks by Hamas militants, while Canadians in the besieged Gaza Strip still have no way to get out.Three other Canadians who were in Israel when the attacks happened Oct. 7 are still missing, officials said Sunday.Global Affairs did not provide details of the fifth person who died or those who are missing, citing privacy reasons.More than 6,800 Canadians are registered in Israel, and more than 450 in the West Bank and Gaza.Canada is currently assisting about 3,300 permanent residents, Canadians and t

The parliamentary budget officer says higher interest rates will lead the economy to stagnate in the second half of the year and the federal deficit will rise significantly this fiscal year.The PBO released its economic and fiscal outlook today, providing updated projections for the economy and federal finances as high interest rates weigh on growth.The budget officer also says it expects consumer spending to remain weak in the second half of 2023 and throughout the first half of 2024.Faced with slower growth in government revenues and higher expenses, the federal deficit is projected to rise