A top federal public health official says a faster vaccine ramp-up alone would likely not have thwarted the third wave of COVID-19 in many parts of the country. Deputy chief public health officer Dr. Howard Njoo says vaccines are one tool but maintaining tight health measures is also crucial, especially with more transmissible and dangerous virus variants on the rise. Dr. Njoo says more than 8.8-million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Canada, with 84 per cent of people over 80 receiving a first dose. Dr. Howard Njoo says 69 per cent of those between 70 and 79 got a first

Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole is pitching a $20-per-tonne carbon price for consumers in his party's $5-billion plan to tackle climate change.The move represents a major policy shift for the party, which has long campaigned to scrap the carbon price introduced by the Liberals under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.The 15-page document, obtained by The Canadian Press, is set to be announced by O'Toole later this morning and outlines how carbon pricing would work under the Conservatives.It says the price would start at $20 per tonne and rise to no higher than $50 per tonne.The party, which did n

We've seen some bizarre things people were caught doing on Zoom calls since the pandemic began, but nothing like what seems to have happened with an Ottawa MP. A Canadian Parliament member was caught stark naked in a virtual meeting of the House of Commons. Liberal William Amos, who has represented the Quebec riding of Pontiac since 2015, appeared on the screens of his fellow MPs completely naked today. William Amos appeared on the screens of his fellow lawmakers completely naked Wednesday. The pandemic has meant many Canadian lawmakers participate in sessions via video conference instead of

Federal Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino says his department is creating a new means to permanent residency for 90,000 essential workers and international graduates. Those people are already in Canada. Mendicino says the new policy will grant permanent status to temporary workers and graduates who possess the skills and experience the country needs. Mendicino says health care and other eligible essential workers must have at least one year of Canadian work experience to apply, while international graduates must have completed an eligible Canadian post-secondary program within the last fou

A veteran suburban Minneapolis police officer was arrested this morning and will be charged with second-degree manslaughter for killing 20-year-old Black motorist Daunte Wright. Sunday's shooting in Brooklyn Center sparked days of unrest and the resignations of officer Kim Potter and police chief Tim Gannon. Gannon said that Potter, who was a training officer, had intended to use her Taser on Wright but fired her handgun instead. A Minnesota prosecutor says he will charge a white former suburban Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot 20 year old Black motorist Daunte Wright with second

Chief medical adviser Dr. Supriya Sharma says there is no evidence showing certain people are more at risk than others and the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine will remain authorized for all adults in Canada, along with the others that have been approved for use so far. Dr. Supriya Sharma says the vaccine, along with others approved for use so far, is safe for anyone to take. Dr. Supriya Sharma, chief medical adviser with Health Canada, says the conclusions come after the department's drug regulatory experts completed a review of safety data, and are in line with those issued in Europe and the Unite

A Quebec woman has developed a blood clot after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, in Canada's first case of the rare condition. Federal and provincial health officials say the woman got an Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine that was produced at the Serum Institute of India, known as Covishield. The agency says the person is now recovering at home. Health Canada says the side-effect is extremely rare and the vaccine's benefits still outweigh its risks. More than 700,000 doses of the vaccine have been administered in Canada. In the House of Commons today, Health Minister Patty Hajdu was asked by the Conser

Canada's chief public health officer has received her first shot of COVID-19 vaccine. Dr. Theresa Tam told an Ottawa news conference today she was unaware of what type of vaccine she was getting until she received an email before getting the shot.Dr. Tam says she received a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Record number of COVID-19 patients in ICU's There are a record number of COVID-19 patients in Canada's intensive care units. Dr. Theresa Tam, the chief public health officer, says an average of 970 people have been in ICUs over the last week. The highest 7-day average previously was 880

Health Canada says it is investigating reports the Johnson &Johnson COVID-19 vaccine may be linked to extremely rare cases of blood clots. In a tweet, the Canadian drug regulator says it is following the issue closely and is working with the manufacturer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other international regulators. Health Canada also says it has asked Janssen, the pharmaceutical arm of Johnson & Johnson, to provide information on any blood-clotting cases. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration issued a joint state