Canada's chief public health officer says recent data suggesting opioid-related deaths are at an all-time high is a sobering reminder of how the COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating the overdose crisis. Dr. Theresa Tam says there were more than 1,600 opioid-related deaths in Canada between April and June, the highest number recorded in a quarter since national surveillance began in 2016. Dr. Tam says prior to the pandemic's onset, some parts of the country were seeing early signs that opioid-related deaths were on the decline, but the COVID-19 crisis seems to have reversed those gains. She sa

Poor weather conditions have led the RCMP to suspend the ground search for five missing Nova Scotia fishermen for a second day. But they will search the Bay of Fundy shoreline using a helicopter from the province's Department of Lands and Forestry. The 15-metre scallop dragger Chief William Saulis had six fishermen aboard when it is believed to have capsized in three-metre waves near Delaps Cove on Tuesday morning. The company that owns and operates the boat, Yarmouth Sea Products, has said the crew did not issue a distress call and it appears the vessel capsized, with its automatic emergency

Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne is shooting back at China's criticism of efforts to build international support for freeing two detained Canadians. Champagne tells The Canadian Press he'll take no lessons from China when it comes to defending Canadian interests and standing up for Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. He has led Canadian efforts to create a coalition of dozens of countries pushing China to release the two men, whom they say are being arbitrarily and unjustly imprisoned. Kovrig and Spavor were arrested two years ago this month and now face what Canada and its

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he wants the government to tell the Canada Revenue Agency not to go after vulnerable people who received the Canada Emergency Response Benefit. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told The Canadian Press that no one will be forced to pay back money if they aren't able, or applied in good faith for the aid. But Singh says that's not going far enough. He wants Trudeau to issue a directive right away to tell the CRA not to go after artists and young people that are vulnerable. New Democrats have spoken with Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough's officials, but Singh says

An approaching snowstorm has forced the Nova Scotia RCMP to suspend the shoreline search for five missing fishermen whose scallop dragger sank in the Bay of Fundy on Tuesday. Snowfall warnings have been issued for much of the province, where the southern mainland can expect up to 25 centimetres of snow by late tonight, with higher amounts possible inland. The RCMP assumed the lead role in the search on Wednesday at 5 p.m. when the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Halifax decided there was no hope that the crews aboard military aircraft or coast guard vessels would find any survivors. The

The problem-plagued Boeing 737 Max aircraft are a step closer to flying again in Canada.The government has approved changes to the planes, among them enabling pilots to disable a faulty warning system.Transport Canada says the change will help reduce pilot workload.The planes were grounded worldwide in January after two crashes, one of which killed 18 Canadians in Ethiopia.Transport Canada has been reviewing the proposed modifications, already approved in the U.S. The agency says safety plans and other changes are still needed before the planes can fly again.

The search has been called off for a master sailor from Winnipeg who was lost at sea off the coast of California this week. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a statement of condolences Wednesday to the family and shipmates of Duane Earle. Earle is believed to have accidentally fallen overboard the HMCS Winnipeg on Monday, as the ship was returning to B.C. from a deployment in the Asia-Pacific region. Commodore Angus Topshee said Earle was last seen aboard early Monday morning and the crew noticed he was missing several hours later. Trudeau expressed gratitude Wednesday for Earle's 30 years

Canada's Deputy Chief Public Health Officer says he's never seen the global health community come together as it has in the fight against COVID-19. Dr. Njoo says we aren't at the end of living with COVID-19 but we are at the beginning of the end. He's urging Canadians to keep up with public health practices. "Pace of advancement and innovation has been truly remarkable" Dr. Njoo says the pace of advancement and innovation in the fight against COVID-19 has been truly remarkable. Dr. Njoo says as the Pfizer vaccine rolls out this week, they're preparing to receive and distribute the Moderna vacc

Parliament's spending watchdog estimates the Liberals will spend more this year on a wage-subsidy program than expected, but less in 2021. The Liberals estimated last month that the program would cost $83.5 billion this fiscal year when taking into account take-up through the summer and its extension since the fall.Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland's fall economic statement also estimated the program would cost almost $16.2 billion in the coming fiscal year that starts in April 2021.Parliamentary budget officer Yves Giroux's office says in a report today that the figure for this year could be