Liberal House leader Mark Holland says the parties in the House of Commons have agreed to debate the use of the Emergencies Act through the weekend with a vote coming Monday evening. The motion declaring the government's decision to invoke the act was introduced Wednesday evening and debate began today. Holland says the debate will run 7 a.m. to midnight today, Friday, Saturday and Sunday and from 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Monday. The vote on the motion will take place Monday evening at 8 p.m.

There are more police officers on the streets of downtown Ottawa today, and Quebec's public security minister confirms provincial police are being deployed to Gatineau, just across the river from the capital. In addition to the growing numbers of officers in position to begin clearing the protest in front of Parliament Hill, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says banks are already freezing accounts. Freeland says the RCMP has shared the names of individuals, businesses and crypto wallets associated with the protest convoy. She's telling protesters there is a really easy way to avoid bei

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau opened the debate in the House of Commons on the Emergencies Act by saying Canadians have made sacrifices for the past two years. He says with things starting to open up once again, this is not the time to hurt our communities and fellow citizens by setting up illegal blockades.Conservative Interim leader says protesters want to be heard Interim Conservative leader Candice Bergen says her party wants to lower the temperature across the country, while the prime minister wants to raise it. As debate got underway on the Emergencies Act, Bergen told the House that the

The Novavax COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for use in Canada.The vaccine, which is protein-based, is the first of its kind to get approval in the country.Experts say a non-mRNA vaccine could win over some vaccine-hesitant people who have still not received a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.The U.S. company Novavax Inc. submitted its package for approval to Health Canada last November.The Novavax shots have already been cleared for use in other countries, including Britain, Europe, Australia and Singapore.Ottawa also signed a deal last year to produce the Novavax vaccine in Canada and a manufact

The federal Liberals are defending the sweeping temporary powers now afforded to police under the Emergencies Act, but the Conservatives are denouncing the unprecedented move. During question period in the House of Commons, Conservative M-P Michelle Rempel Garner noted that the legislation has not been used for any previous crisis. She says it wasn't used to settle the rail blockades of 2020, the Oka crisis in Quebec, the standoff in Caledonia or any other dispute in Canadian history. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the act on Monday, as protesters blockaded several border crossings and

Canadian speedskater Charles Hamelin has become the country's most decorated male Winter Olympian, and he did it in golden fashion. The 37-year-old Hamelin joined teammates Steven Dubois, Jordan Pierre-Gilles and Pascal Dion to win the men's 5000m short-track relay. It's a sixth career medal for Hamelin and the third of the Games for Dubois, who now has a gold, silver and bronze in Beijing. Canada won the 5,000m relay in short track speedskating. The team of Charles Hamelin, Steven Dubois, Jordan Pierre-Gilles and Pascal Dion skated cleanly to take their nation's eighth gold medal in the 45-

Protesters in downtown Ottawa are ignoring police notices to leave and a court injunction against blaring the horns on their trucks. Ottawa police are handing out notices telling the protesters to go home, but that only seems to generate more horn-honking. The usual crowd is gathered at an intersection across from Parliament's Centre Block, waving Canadian flags and dancing to music blaring from speakers. It is now illegal under the Emergencies Act to bring a child to a demonstration and the Children's Aid Society of Ottawa is urging parents to make alternate care arrangements if they can't c

Ottawa police chief Peter Sloly has resigned, just as the federal government prepares to introduce a motion to enact the Emergencies Act. City councillor Riley Brockington tweeted the news. Sloly has been widely criticized for how the police have handled the protest on the streets of downtown Ottawa, with little enforcement over the past several weeks. Residents have grown increasingly frustrated at the street party atmosphere that has included a gym, bouncy castles, a hot tub and stage being set up as officers appeared to stand and watch.

Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos says vaccinated travellers will no longer need a molecular COVID-19 test to enter Canada starting Feb. 28 because the COVID-19 situation in Canada has improved. Travellers can instead opt for a rapid antigen test approved by the country they are coming from. Unvaccinated children travelling with vaccinated adults who come to Canada will no longer have to isolate from school or daycare for 14 days. Some fully vaccinated travellers might still be randomly selected for a molecular test at the airport, but they will not be required to quarantine while they wait fo