Canada's chief public health officer says governments should be prepared to bring back public health measures in case of another serious variant of COVID-19.Several provinces have begun to scale back on mandates for vaccines and masks, signalling a return to normalcy now that the Omicron wave is waning.Dr. Theresa Tam says she hopes Canada is past the pandemic crisis and is now in a transition phase, headed toward recovery.She says Canada must still be ready to bring some public health measures back if cases begin to shoot up again.The goal, she says, will be to limit stiff restrictions in fav

Yellow and blue flags are flying in cities across Canada as Ukrainian Canadians demonstrate to denounce Russia's attack on Ukraine and urge Ottawa to act swiftly to help defend their homeland. Vancouver protester Sofiya Pylypenko moved to Canada 12 years ago but still has family in Ukraine that live just 40 kilometres from the Russian border. She says she has received calls from family telling her tanks were coming and explosions had started. Another rally is to take place tomorrow at 1pm outside the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Justin Trudeau says Canada is arranging for the safe passage of any Canadian citizens, permanent residents and their families still in Ukraine following the Russian invasion. The prime minister says more severe sanctions will target dozens of people and entities with connections to Russia. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says the world cannot allow the attack to end the rules-based order that Canada helped build in the aftermath of the Second World War. Trudeau is calling Russia’s military action against Ukraine an attack on democracy, international law, human rights and freedom. He

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada is imposing more severe sanctions on Russia in response to its military strike against Ukraine. The new sanctions will target 58 people and entities connected to Russia, including members of that country's elite and their families, the paramilitary organization known as the Wagner Group and major Russian banks. The sanctions, announced today after Trudeau attended a virtual G7 meeting, will also affect members of the Russian Security Council, including key cabinet ministers. Canada is also cancelling existing export permits for Russia and will not iss

Health Canada has authorized a made-in-Canada COVID-19 vaccine from Medicago, known as Covifenz.The two-dose, plant-based vaccine is authorized for use in people aged 18 to 64.Health Canada says its effectiveness and safety in those under 18 and over 64 have ``not yet been established.''Clinical trials suggested the vaccine was 71 per cent effective in protecting against COVID-19 one week after the second dose. The dosing schedule is 21 days apart.Medicago, a biotechnology company based in Quebec City, along with GlaxoSmithKline, submitted Phase 3 data to Health Canada in December.The company

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has revoked the Emergencies Act. Trudeau had said right up until yesterday that the government would not keep the Act in effect a moment longer than needed. Today he says that at the time, it was the right thing to do but there is no longer a state of emergency. He adds existing laws are sufficient to keep Canadians safe. The Act was invoked to end the weeks of truck protests against government COVID-19 health measures and vaccine mandates. Trudeau says there will be an inquiry into the whole process.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada is sending hundreds more troops to eastern Europe and imposing new sanctions on Russia in response to its deployment of forces into Ukraine. Trudeau says up to 460 more members of the Canadian Armed Forces are being sent to Latvia and the surrounding region to bolster NATO in response to what he described as a Russian invasion of Ukraine. The new troops are being deployed alongside an additional naval frigate and Aurora surveillance aircraft, and are on top of the 540 Armed Forces members already deployed to Latvia. Trudeau says Canada is also taking

Ottawa's largest mall has been evacuated and a suspect has been arrested with a possible weapon, on the first day the shopping centre has been open since protests forced stores to shut down late last month. Police say they responded to Rideau Centre for a shoplifting call. On Twitter, the police wrote one person has been arrested and there is no outstanding suspect or threat to public safety. Witnesses reported they were ordered to evacuate the centre, as police told people to avoid the area just before 1 p.m. ``due to an ongoing police operation.'' One witness said parts of the mall went dar

Tamara Lich, one of the leading organizers behind protests against COVID-19 restrictions and the Liberal government on Parliament Hill, has been denied bail.An Ontario court judge issued the decision in Ottawa this morning, saying she believed there was a substantial likelihood Lich would reoffend if released.A separate bail hearing is scheduled this morning for fellow protest organizer Patrick King.Lich was arrested last Thursday and charged with counselling to commit mischief and promised during a bail hearing on Saturday to give up her advocacy of the protest and return to Alberta.King, 44,