Category: Canada COVID

Fewer Flights Land in Canada With COVID 19 Since Ban on Planes From India, Pakistan

OTTAWA—The number of planes landing in Canada carrying passengers with COVID-19 was cut by more than half in the two weeks after the federal government barred incoming flights from India and Pakistan. Transport Canada announced April 22 that direct flights from the countries would be halted for 30 days after high numbers of passengers were…


On COVID Messaging, It’s Time Government Treated Us Like Adults

Commentary In the long, strange saga of Canadian governments’ response to COVID-19, one of the strangest crept by last weekend. Asked what difference getting vaccinated would make to our medical risks and severely impaired liberties, Health Minister Patty Hajdu said she had no idea but would have a really good one soon. It’s not strange…


Feds to Work ‘Narrowly’ With Ontario Plea to Pause Entry of International Students

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says “the borders are broken” and is pushing Ottawa to tighten restrictions at international land crossings amid a COVID-19 surge. Ford says if it were up to him, he’d shut down Toronto’s Pearson International Airport and the province’s land borders to stop some travellers from exploiting loopholes in federal measures. Ford…


Pandemic Prompts Lifestyle Changes, Survey Finds

The pandemic and measures to prevent its spread have made Canadians change their lifestyle—some for the better, and some for the worse. But according to a recent Dalhousie University survey, health in general has declined. “Canadians are just not healthy. Canada is much heavier now than 14 months ago, I can tell you that. That…


Military, Civilian Health Workers Heading to Hot Zones in Ontario, Nova Scotia

OTTAWA—Dozens of health professionals from both the military and federal public service are being deployed to some provinces as the relentless third wave of COVID-19 in Canada continues. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says help is on the way to Ontario and Nova Scotia already and discussions are underway with Alberta. That includes 60 Canadian Armed…


Trudeau Defends Canada’s Travel Restrictions, Says Quarantine Hotels to Remain Mandatory

OTTAWA—Canada is extending the use of quarantine hotels for international air travellers another month, and considering whether it needs to do more to stop COVID-19 cases from getting into the country from abroad. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that could include barring incoming flights from specific countries, such as India, even as he defended his…


Trudeau Sending Help to Ontario as Pfizer Vaccine Supply Bolstered by 8 Million Doses

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says more doses of COVID-19 vaccines are coming soon from Pfizer-BioNTech, and the federal government will deploy the Canadian Red Cross to help Ontario with their mobile vaccination teams. Trudeau announced Friday a contract with Pfizer for an additional eight million doses of their vaccine, hours after Canada said its incoming…


Canada’s Incoming Supply of Moderna Vaccine Slashed in Half Through End of April

Procurement Minister Anita Anand says Canada’s incoming vaccine supply from Moderna will be slashed in half through the rest of April. Anand says in a statement that Moderna will ship 650,000 doses of its vaccine to Canada by the end of the month, instead of the expected 1.2 million. Moderna said the limited supply is…


Trudeau Government Weakened Canada’s Economy Well Before COVID-19

Commentary As the Trudeau government prepares to table the first federal budget in roughly two years, it’s worthwhile to consider how Ottawa’s policies of higher taxes, increased spending and borrowing, and more regulations weakened the economy well before COVID-19. In 2015, the Liberals campaigned on cutting income taxes for the middle class, particularly for families…


Quebec, Ontario Weigh Tighter COVID Measures as Officials Raise Concerns Over Easter

The two provinces hit hardest by COVID-19 are weighing stricter restrictions amid surging case counts, as health officials and politicians urge Canadians to stay home over the upcoming Easter holiday. The premiers of Ontario and Quebec have raised concerns about the rising number of active infections in the pandemic’s third wave, and suggested tighter measures…