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Alberta Premier Danielle Smith gives an Alberta government update in Calgary, Alta., Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who promised less than three months ago to seek pardons for COVID-19 health violators, now says she will let justice take its course. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Alberta premier backs off on promise to seek pardons for COVID-19 health violators

Dean Bennett, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023

EDMONTON - Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, less than three months after promising to seek pardons for COVID-19 health violators, says she will now let justice take its course while also announcing she is regularly contacting Crown prosecutors about these cases.

“The way our system of justice works is we do have an independent justice department and independent Crown prosecutors,” Smith told reporters Thursday when asked why she has not followed through on the pardon commitment.

“As we continue to see some of these cases go through — some of them get dropped, some of them fail — (prosecutors) have to consistently recalibrate, but I do want to make sure they have an independent process for assessing that.

“But I ask them on a regular basis, as new cases come out, is it in the public interest to pursue and is there a reasonable likelihood of conviction?”

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Rule requiring negative COVID test before Chinese flights takes effect

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

Rule requiring negative COVID test before Chinese flights takes effect

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023

VANCOUVER - Airline passengers leaving China, Hong Kong and Macau will have to provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test when they enter Canada starting today.

The Canadian government announced last week that the travellers would need a negative test administered within 48 hours of their departure as cases soar in China.

Other countries, including the United States and several European nations, imposed similar rules despite protest from China.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson criticized the change in requirements this week, saying some countries were attempting to manipulate COVID measures for political purposes and it would take countermeasures.

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Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023

Cathay Pacific crew members who worked on a flight from Hong Kong arrive at Vancouver International Airport, in Richmond, B.C., on Wednesday, January 4, 2023. The Canadian government announced last week that the travellers would need a negative test administered within 48 hours of their departure as cases soar in China. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Experts question Ottawa’s negative COVID-19 test for air travellers from China

Hina Alam, The Canadian Press 6 minute read Preview

Experts question Ottawa’s negative COVID-19 test for air travellers from China

Hina Alam, The Canadian Press 6 minute read Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023

Canada's requirement of a negative COVID-19 test of travellers from China will not help in preventing new variants or the spread of the virus, say experts.

Kerry Bowman, assistant professor at the University of Toronto's Temerty Faculty of Medicine, called the requirement "absolutely a political move, and not based on science at this point."

"This isn't the early days of the pandemic,” he said. “So, I do think it's largely political."

The federal government said Saturday that people coming from China, Hong Kong and Macao will have to test negative for COVID-19 before leaving for Canada.

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Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023

Masked travellers with luggage line up at the international flight check in counter at the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022. An expert says Canada's requirement of a negative COVID-19 test of travellers from China will not help in preventing new variants or the spread of the virus. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Andy Wong

Ottawa to temporarily require negative COVID-19 test from travellers from China

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

Ottawa to temporarily require negative COVID-19 test from travellers from China

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022

Ottawa plans to temporarily require people flying from China, Hong Kong and Macao to test negative for COVID-19 before leaving for Canada, beginning in early January.

The federal government says in a Saturday news release that the requirement will apply to all air travellers age two and older from the three countries and will begin on Jan. 5 at 12:01 a.m. EST.

The government says the measure is "in response to the surge of COVID-19 in the People's Republic of China and given the limited epidemiological and viral genomic sequence data available on these cases."

It says people will need to provide a negative COVID-19 test result to the airline, taken no more than two days before their departure, before boarding a flight to Canada.

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Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022

Travellers make their way through Pearson International Airport in Toronto Monday, Nov. 14, 2022. Ottawa plans to temporarily require people flying from China, Hong Kong and Macao to test negative for COVID-19 before leaving for Canada, beginning in early January. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston

Health agency ‘closely monitoring’ COVID-19 in China, no mention of pre-flight tests

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

Health agency ‘closely monitoring’ COVID-19 in China, no mention of pre-flight tests

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022

OTTAWA - The national public health agency says it's "closely monitoring" the COVID-19 situation in China, but gives no indication it's planning to follow the U.S. by requiring that travellers from China be tested for the virus.

The Public Health Agency of Canada says in a statement that any policy changes will be made in a travel health notice.

It says there's already a "level two" notice for all countries, including China, meaning that travellers should practise enhanced health precautions, including the use of personal protective equipment, delaying travel and avoiding high-risk activities.

An additional notice regarding Chinese New Year was posted Dec. 23, saying the festivities in late January are expected to involve large crowds in China, elevating the risk of infection with COVID-19 or other diseases.

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Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022

Inbound travelers waiting for hours to board buses to leave for quarantine hotels and facilities from Guangzhou Baiyun Airport in southern China's Guangdong province on Dec. 25 2022. The national public health agency says it's

Canadians fined at least $15M for breaking COVID quarantine rules in 2022, data shows

Stephanie Taylor, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Canadians fined at least $15M for breaking COVID quarantine rules in 2022, data shows

Stephanie Taylor, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022

OTTAWA - Canadians who were caught violating federal COVID-19 quarantine rules racked up at least $15 million in fines this year, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada, but it's not clear how much of that will actually be paid.

The agency provided data to the House of Commons in the fall in response to a request from Conservative MP Eric Duncan.

Duncan did not respond to a request for comment.

This year saw the widespread lifting of Canada's COVID-19 health restrictions. Until October, travellers were required to follow testing and quarantine rules, depending on their vaccination status, and upload their public health information through the ArriveCan app.

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Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022

A sign reminds arriving passengers to quarantine against COVID-19 at Trudeau Airport in Montreal, Friday, Feb. 19, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

Manitoba Labour Board rejects complaints against unions on COVID rules

Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

Manitoba Labour Board rejects complaints against unions on COVID rules

Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022

WINNIPEG - The Manitoba Labour Board has dismissed several complaints in recent months from workers who wanted their unions to fight COVID-19 requirements.

The details differ slightly in each of the complaints considered since December of last year from, among others, a nurse, a lab technologist, a plumber and an instructor.

But the rulings have a common finding — that unions had acted reasonably after considering legal advice and the interests of all their members.

"There is no question that unions may, and should, evaluate potential grievances to determine whether or not they have any chance of success," a board ruling states in the case of a psychiatric nurse who was put on unpaid leave after refusing to either provide proof of vaccination or undergo frequent rapid testing.

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Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022

A vaccine is drawn at a clinic in Winnipeg, Friday, March 19, 2021.The Manitoba Labour Board has dismissed several complaints from workers who wanted their unions to fight COVID-19 requirements.THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

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Senate passes defense bill rescinding COVID vaccine mandate

Kevin Freking, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

Senate passes defense bill rescinding COVID vaccine mandate

Kevin Freking, The Associated Press 5 minute read Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill to rescind the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for members of the U.S. military and provide nearly $858 billion for national defense passed the Senate on Thursday and now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.

The bill provides for about $45 billion more for defense programs than Biden requested and roughly 10% more than last year’s bill as lawmakers look to account for inflation and boost the nation’s military competitiveness with China and Russia. It includes a 4.6% pay raise for servicemembers and the Defense Department's civilian workforce.

The Senate passed the defense policy bill by a vote of 83-11. The measure also received broad bipartisan support in the House last week.

To win GOP support for the 4,408-page bill, Democrats agreed to Republican demands to scrap the requirement for service members to get a COVID-19 vaccination. The bill directs Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to rescind his August 2021 memorandum imposing the mandate.

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Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022

Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and other Republican senators tell reporters they want the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for members of the U.S. military to be rescinded under the annual defense bill, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Six-month COVID-19 vaccine delay would have cost $156B: study

Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

Six-month COVID-19 vaccine delay would have cost $156B: study

Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022

A study from the C.D. Howe Institute estimates Canada would have lost $156 billion in economic activity in 2021 had COVID-19 vaccines been rolled out six months later than they were.

That would have been equivalent to about 12.5 per cent of Canada’s gross domestic product.

“The results show that vaccination was highly beneficial to population health and also cost-effective from an economic perspective,” the think tank said in a report released Thursday.

Rosalie Wyonch, a senior policy analyst and author of the report, said vaccines were effective at reducing the number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths. There were also much larger benefits on the broader economy, she added.

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Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022

A person draws out a vaccine in Kingston, Ont., on Sunday Jan. 2, 2022. A study from the C.D. Howe Institute estimates Canada would have lost $156 billion in economic activity in 2021 had COVID-19 vaccines been rolled out six months later than they were. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Lars Hagberg

Canada’s chief science adviser releases recommendations to combat long-COVID

Laura Osman, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

Canada’s chief science adviser releases recommendations to combat long-COVID

Laura Osman, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022

OTTAWA - Canada's chief science adviser gave the government a road map on Wednesday to wade through some of the murky and mysterious elements of long-COVID in an effort to offer people better treatment, starting with an admission that the disease even exists.

The recommendations presented by Mona Nemer came from a task force that was establishedin July to respond to post-COVID-19 condition, or long-COVID.

As of August, 14.8 per cent of adults who have had COVID-19 experienced symptoms three months or more after their initial infection, Nemer said.

The symptoms range in severity and include muscle pain, brain fog, trouble breathing, extreme fatigue, gastrointestinal problems and heart palpitations.

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Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022

Chief science advisor Mona Nemer speaks during a news conference, Thursday, April 23, 2020 in Ottawa. Nemer released the recommendations of a taskforce established in the summer to respond to post-COVID condition, or long-COVID, today ahead of the release of her full report. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Churches in Manitoba Court of Appeal to challenge COVID-19 rules

Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Churches in Manitoba Court of Appeal to challenge COVID-19 rules

Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022

WINNIPEG - Lawyers for seven Manitoba churches made another attempt Tuesday to have some of the province's former COVID-19 restrictions declared invalid.

The churches say public health orders in 2020 and 2021 that temporarily closed in-person religious services, then permitted them with caps on attendance, violated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

A Court of Queen’s Bench justice previously rejected that argument, saying the restrictions were both necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and allowable under Section 1 of the Charter.

The churches’ lawyer told the Court of Appeal that the trial judge erred in not fully examining whether less restrictive rules could have achieved the same goal.

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Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022

A gavel sits on a desk before the a meeting of the House Justice and Human Rights Committee in Ottawa, on February 13, 2019. Seven Manitoba churches are in court appealing a ruling that upheld COVID-19 restrictions on religious services. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Health Canada approves first bivalent booster for kids ages 5 to 11

Laura Osman, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Health Canada approves first bivalent booster for kids ages 5 to 11

Laura Osman, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Friday, Dec. 9, 2022

OTTAWA - Health Canada approved a COVID-19 vaccine booster for children on Friday that targets more recent variants of the coronavirus, along with the original strain.

The Pfizer-BioNTech "bivalent" shot protects against the most prevalent subvariants of Omicron, BA.4 and BA.5, and is the first approved for use in children ages five to 11.

In a press release, Health Canada said that after the thorough review it has found the vaccine is safe and effective and that its benefits outweigh any potential risks when used as a booster dose.

The child-sized dose is about a third of the dose that is approved for people over the age of 12.

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Friday, Dec. 9, 2022

Vials of Pfizer's updated COVID-19 vaccine is seen during production in Kalamazoo, Mich., in an Aug. 2022, handout photo. Health Canada has approved a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine booster for use in children ages five to 11, which targets the original strain of the coronavirus and more recent variants. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-HO, Pfizer, *MANDATORY CREDIT*

House passes defense bill scrapping COVID vaccine mandate

Kevin Freking, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

House passes defense bill scrapping COVID vaccine mandate

Kevin Freking, The Associated Press 5 minute read Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill to rescind the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for members of the U.S. military and provide nearly $858 billion for national defense passed the House on Thursday as lawmakers scratch off one of the final items on their yearly to-do list.

The bill provides for about $45 billion more for defense programs than President Joe Biden requested, the second consecutive year Congress significantly exceeded his request, as lawmakers seek to boost the nation's military competitiveness with China and Russia.

The House passed the bill by a vote of 350-80. It now goes to the Senate, where it is expected to pass easily, then to the president to be signed into law.

To win bipartisan support for the bill, Democrats agreed to Republican demands to scrap the requirement for service members to get a COVID-19 vaccination. The bill directs Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to rescind his August 2021 memorandum imposing the mandate. Only days earlier he voiced support for keeping the mandate in effect.

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Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022

A group of Republican senators, from left, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., tell reporters that the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for members of the U.S. military should be rescinded under the annual defense bill, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

COVID-19 benefits helped economy rebound, but post-payment verification lacking: AG

Nojoud Al Mallees, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

COVID-19 benefits helped economy rebound, but post-payment verification lacking: AG

Nojoud Al Mallees, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022

OTTAWA - Canada's auditor general says COVID-19 benefits were delivered quickly and helped mitigate economic suffering, but the federal government hasn’t done enough to recover billions of dollars in overpayments.

In a new report Tuesday, Karen Hogan said federal benefit programs provided relief to workers and employers affected by the pandemic and helped the national economy rebound.

"Overall, we found that the Canada Revenue Agency and Employment and Social Development Canada effectively delivered COVID-19 programs," Hogan said in a news conference.

At the same time, she said the revenue agency and the department have not followed up by verifying those payments.

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Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022

The landing page for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit is seen in Toronto, Monday, Aug. 10, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Giordano Ciampini

Most unused COVID-19 vaccines will expire at the end of the year: auditor general

Laura Osman, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

Most unused COVID-19 vaccines will expire at the end of the year: auditor general

Laura Osman, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022

OTTAWA - Tens of millions of doses of COVID-19 vaccines are likely about to expire and go to waste because of a failure to manage an oversupply, Canada's auditor general reported Tuesday — a failure with an estimated price tag of about $1 billion.

Karen Hogan has released the results of her office's investigation into the government's efforts to get ahold of COVID-19 vaccine doses in the early days of the pandemic, and track how many people got them.

The auditor gave the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Procurement Department a thumbs up when it came to quickly getting enough doses into the country to meet vaccination goals, but said the government did a much poorer job of managing all that supply.

"We found that the Public Health Agency of Canada was unsuccessful in its efforts to minimize vaccine wastage," Hogan wrote in the report.

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Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022

Workers unload a shipment of the Moderna COVID‑19 vaccine at the FedEx hub at Pearson International Airport in Toronto on May 20, 2021. Canada's auditor general is expected to release two highly anticipated reports on the government's handling of the COVID-19 crisis in 2021, including access to vaccines and pandemic benefits. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston

B.C.’s COVID response praised for ‘nimbleness,’ calls to bolster public trust

The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

B.C.’s COVID response praised for ‘nimbleness,’ calls to bolster public trust

The Canadian Press 4 minute read Friday, Dec. 2, 2022

VICTORIA - A review of British Columbia's COVID-19 response released Friday says despite being unprepared for the pandemic, the province showed "resilience, balance and nimbleness" during the emergency.

That's despite nearly 75 per cent of the people surveyed as part of the independent review reporting they didn't trust information coming from the government.

However, both the report's authors and Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth say the online survey was not representative of the population as a whole and the results showed significantly more dissatisfaction than other public opinion research.

The review, which included meetings with 145 organizations and the survey with 15,000 respondents, made 26 findings including recommendations around better communication, transparency, data collection and improved public trust.

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Friday, Dec. 2, 2022

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