Public health restrictions are being reimposed in parts of Canada as new COVID-19 cases continue to rise rapidly. In Ontario, restaurants and bars can only remain open after midnight if providing takeout or delivery and strip clubs are being shuttered once again. Manitoba is moving its capital city of Winnipeg into “Code Orange” and requiring masks in indoor public spaces. People in Quebec are being urged to restrict social gatherings all together for the next 28 days. More than 150,000 Canadians have tested positive since the beginning of the pandemic and the rate of testing has sped up, but supply is not meeting demand. Health Canada this week quietly approved a more rapid test that claims to deliver results in 90 minutes. Eric Sorensen explains more about that procedure.
There was no mention of that newly-approved test when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Friday that a deal had been reached with AstraZeneca to procure 20 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine should the one being produced by the company be approved. Abigail Bimman reports.
Trudeau has a minority government and needs support from other parties in order to remain in power. Today, the Liberals got the support they need from the NDP, which agreed to support the throne speech. The NDP told Global News the deal reached would also include massively expanding the number of Canadians who can access sick days. One of the other big items in the throne speech, a national child care program, is not a new idea but has never been delivered. Mike Le Couteur takes a deeper look.
An Ontario man who claimed he had conducted executions for the so-called Islamic State is facing the rare charge of faking his involvement with a terror group. The 25-year-old has been identified by sources as the same man who featured in a New York Times podcast called “Caliphate.” In that podcast, he claimed he carried out executions for ISIS in Syria and then returned home to Canada a free man. The RCMP now say he made it all up. He has been arrested and charged. Carolyn Jarvis explains.
Multiple media outlets are reporting President Donald Trump plans to nominate Amy Coney Barrett to fill Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s now vacant seat on the Supreme Court. The political battle over that seat is one factor driving Americans to the polls. The election isn’t until Nov. 3, but early voting has already begun in many states and there are long lines at polling stations. Jackson Proskow went to Virginia and found Americans highly motivated to vote.
It’s a fact we will be living in the COVID-19 pandemic for some time to come. The best thing to do is listen to the public health advice and observe how other countries have handled their outbreaks. Australia had to put another strict lockdown in Melbourne. Mike Drolet spoke to Canadians living down under about the lessons learned.
