CanadaAug 09, 2020
Liberals turn over thousands of pages on WE decision
The federal Liberal government has turned over thousands of pages of documents related to the WE controversy to a House of Commons' committee, which lawyers are now vetting for personal information and cabinet secrets.
The finance committee demanded the documents last month as it probes whether Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's relationship with WE Charity influenced the government's ill-fated decision to have the organization run a $912-million student-volunteer program.
The Liberals handed more than 5,000 pages about the decision to the committee over the weekend, but it isn't clear when they
CanadaAug 08, 2020
Big jump in COVID-19 cases in Alberta, 423 cases reported in Canada
There are 118,984 confirmed cases in Canada. Quebec: 60,241 confirmed (including 5,687 deaths, 50,886 resolved) Ontario: 39,897 confirmed (including 2,783 deaths, 36,024 resolved) Alberta: 11,430 confirmed (including 208 deaths, 10,097 resolved) British Columbia: 3,934 confirmed (including 195 deaths, 3,353 resolved) Saskatchewan: 1,409 confirmed (including 20 deaths, 1,221 resolved) Nova Scotia: 1,071 confirmed (including 64 deaths, 1,005 resolved) Manitoba: 476 confirmed (including 8 deaths, 351 resolved), 15 presumptive Newfoundland and Labrador: 266 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 263 reso
BCAug 07, 2020
53 new COVID-19 cases reported in B.C., number of active cases rises to 386
Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, and Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer, have issued a joint statement regarding updates on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) response in British Columbia. "Today, we are announcing 53 new cases, including three epi-linked cases, for a total of 3,934 cases in British Columbia. "There are 386 active cases of COVID-19 in the province and 3,353 people who tested positive have recovered. "There are 11 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19, four of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation
BCAug 07, 2020
17 campers helicoptered from remote Coquitlam site, as weather fouls exit plan
Search and rescue crews in Coquitlam, B.C., say they had to conduct a "non-urgent helicopter evacuation" of 17 campers. Messages posted on social media by the rescue team on Friday say the 17 were stranded at Widgeon Lake. The area is a popular hiking destination west of Pitt Lake, north of Coquitlam. The search team says the campers had chartered a float plane to carry them to an area at the lake that is difficult to access by foot. No one has been hurt but Coquitlam Search and Rescue says poor weather has prevented the plane from picking up the group. It says the campers made the "difficult
BCAug 07, 2020
More COVID-19 warnings posted for U.S. and Canadian flights to B.C.
More flights have been added to the list alerting passengers who arrived at British Columbia airports of potential exposure to COVID-19. The BC Centre for Disease Control says passengers on a Delta flight on July 29 from Seattle to Vancouver and a flight from San Francisco to Vancouver on Aug. 1 may be at risk. All travellers from outside Canada must self-isolate for 14 days, which can limit the possible spread of the illness from international flights.But the centre says passengers on a WestJet flight from Calgary should also self-monitor for symptoms for the next 14 days.It says a person wi
CanadaAug 07, 2020
Canada plans $3.6 billion in retaliatory tariffs on U.S. in aluminium dispute
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says Americans will be the first casualties of President Donald Trump's tariff on Canadian aluminum. Freeland says Canada will strike back with 3.6 billion dollars in tariffs on a list of American products. The government will spend the next 30 days consulting with industry stakeholders to determine which items to target. When the US slapped a tariff on Canadian steel two years ago Canada retaliated with tariffs on American ketchup, ballpoint pens, orange juice, whisky and toilet paper. President Donald Trump accuses Canada of breaking a promise not to
WorldAug 07, 2020
Lebanon president says he knew of chemicals at port in July
Lebanon's president is confirming top leaders and security officials were aware of the 2750 tonnes of highly explosive ammonium nitrate stored in a waterfront warehouse since 2013.
Michel Aoun says he was told nearly three weeks ago about the massive stockpile of explosive chemicals and immediately ordered action taken.
But he says he had no authority over the facility.
President Michel Aoun said several governments in charge since 2013 received repeated warning about the material.
Aoun is suggesting the explosion was either an act of negligence or "external intervention" by a missile or
BCAug 07, 2020
Tariffs imposed on Canadian aluminum "disappointing for the people of BC": Premier John Horgan
Premier John Horgan says the decision by the US government to impose tariffs on Canadian aluminum is "disappointing for the people of BC".
A statement from the premier's office says many people in BC earn their living from the province's aluminum industry and BC exports do no harm the US market.
It says the 10-per cent tariff is "unfortunate" when countries should be helping each other recover from COVID-19 restrictions, and the Horgan government will fight for the industry and its workers.
A newly modernized Rio Tinto aluminum smelter in Kitimat employs 1100 workers and contributed more th
CanadaAug 07, 2020
Statistics Canada says country gained 419,000 jobs in July
Statistics Canada says the country's labour market gained 419,000 jobs last month as more parts of the economy were allowed to reopen.The agency says the national unemployment rate was 10.9 per cent in July, down from the 12.3 per cent recorded in June.The figures beat market expectations, with the average economist estimate from financial markets data firm Refinitiv was for a gain of 400,000 jobs in July and an unemployment rate of 11 per cent.Combined with the 953,000 jobs gained in June and the 290,000 in May, the country was within 1.3 million jobs from pre-pandemic level. About 266,0000 m