PM Justin Trudeau to speak to Canada’s premiers about Omicron variant

PM Justin Trudeau to speak to Canada’s premiers about Omicron variant

Canada’s Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was expected to speak by phone to the premiers of the country’s 10 provinces on Tuesday to discuss the rapidly spreading Omicron variant of the coronavirus, his office said. The call was set to take place at 6 pm ET (2300 GMT), according to a provincial source, who requested anonymity. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland told reporters that Ottawa would act quickly and do what was necessary but gave no details. Separately, the government leader in the House of Commons, Mark Holland, said Liberals…

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Canada Could Soon See Rapid Surge In Covid-19 Cases As Omicron Spreads Locally

Canada Could Soon See Rapid Surge In Covid-19 Cases As Omicron Spreads Locally

COVID-19 cases in Canada may rapidly rise in the coming days due to community spread of the Omicron variant, mirroring the situation in the country’s most populous province of Ontario, Canada’s top health official said on Monday. The surge of COVID-19 cases in Ontario, which accounts for almost 40% of Canada’s population of 39 million people, has prompted the provincial government to suspend easing of restrictions that were planned to be lifted ahead of the holiday season. The province reported 1,536 cases of COVID-19 on Monday, a more-than 70% jump…

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Canada joins US, other countries in diplomatic boycott of Beijing Olympics

Canada joins US, other countries in diplomatic boycott of Beijing Olympics

Canada said Wednesday it will join the United States and other countries in a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics in February. “As many (of our) partners around the world, we are extremely concerned by the repeated human rights violations by the Chinese government,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a news conference. Rights groups have called for a full-blown boycott of the Winter Games, citing Chinese human rights abuses and suppression of democratic protests.“That is why we are announcing today that we will not be sending any diplomatic representation to…

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PM Justin Trudeau to focus on economic growth, climate crisis

PM Justin Trudeau to focus on economic growth, climate crisis

Canada’s PM Justin Trudeau presented an agenda focused on putting the Covid-19 pandemic “behind” and priorities like economic growth and tackling record inflation, climate crisis and reconciliation with the Indigenous communities. As Canada’s parliament formally opened on Tuesday following the September elections, the minority government headed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau presented an agenda focused on putting the Covid-19 pandemic “behind” and priorities like economic growth and tackling record inflation, climate crisis and reconciliation with the Indigenous communities The outline of what Justin Trudeau plans to achieve in the near…

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Canada’s Omicron infections top double digits as more cases reported

Canada’s Omicron infections top double digits as more cases reported

Infections from the new variant of Covid on Friday crossed double digits in Canada, which includes cases reported in the country’s largest city Toronto, public health officials said.Canada’s chief public health officer Dr Theresa Tam said the country had so far detected 11 infections of the new variant dubbed Omicron, all involving people who had recently travelled abroad, and voiced concerns over its spread.“The emergence and spread of the Omicron variant of concern, including 11 recent detections in travellers coming into Canada and/or their close contacts, is yet another reminder…

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Canada health body recommends Covid booster shots for all adults

Canada health body recommends Covid booster shots for all adults

Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) on Friday recommended booster shots of the Covid for all adults as the new Omicron variant is identified in more countries. Ontario will lower the eligibility age for COVID-19 booster shots to 50 and up by mid-December, adding to a shifting map of booster shot eligibility in Canada. There are calls for provinces and territories to be more cohesive with each other on who gets a booster shot. The Canadian health body, that provides the government with medical and scientific on immunisations, said…

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Due to shortage of staff,Canadian employers accommodate unvaccinated employees.

Due to shortage of staff,Canadian employers accommodate unvaccinated employees.

Canada’s tight labor market is forcing many companies to offer regular COVID-19 testing over vaccine mandates, while others are reversing previously announced inoculation requirements even as Omicron variant cases rise. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government adopted one of the strictest inoculation policies in the world for civil servants and has already put more than 1,000 workers on unpaid leave, with thousands more at risk. Airlines, police forces, school boards and even Canada’s Big Five banks have also pledged strict mandatory vaccine policies. But following through has proven less straightforward,…

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Canada exceeds expectations in Job Growth in November

Canada exceeds expectations in Job Growth in November

With employment soaring beyond predictions and unemployment dropping to near pre-pandemic levels, new labour force data suggest that Canada is on its way to a full economic recovery. This past November, Canadian employers added 154,000 jobs to the economy. Last month’s growth exceeded analysts’ predictions of 38,000, which was closer to October levels. The gains pushed employment a full percentage point higher than pre-pandemic levels. Also, unemployment dropped to 6%, which is within 0.3 percentage points of what it was in February 2020. Data from Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey…

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Western Canada: Thousands remain stranded by massive floods in British Columbia.

Western Canada: Thousands remain stranded by massive floods in British Columbia.

About 18,000 people remain stranded by flood waters in Canada’s westernmost province, after mudslides destroyed roads, houses, bridges and other key infrastructure in what may be the country’s costliest natural disaster. Receding floodwaters on Thursday were helping rescue efforts, but the downpour blocked off entire towns in the province of British Columbia (BC) and cut access to the largest Canadian port in Vancouver, disrupting already strained global supply chains. The flooding comes just months after massive wildfires ravaged several BC communities after a “heat dome” brought record temperatures to the…

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Justin Trudeau launches vaccination certificate for jabbed Canadians

Justin Trudeau launches vaccination certificate for jabbed Canadians

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has launched a standardised proof of vaccination certificate that will be available to jabbed citizens as a vaccine passport for international travel. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has launched a standardised proof of vaccination certificate that will be available to jabbed Canadians as a vaccine passport for international travel. The certificate is being backed by the national government but will be issued by Canadian provinces and territories using a standardised format which includes a QR code to access the individuals’ vaccination status. Some provinces and territories, like…

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