National News

The latest developments on the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada (all times eastern): 6:45 p.m. There have been 617 new cases of COVID-19 in British Columbia and four additional deaths related to the virus.

EDMONTON — For seven long minutes, as NASA's latest Mars probe hurtled in radio silence through the red planet's atmosphere to its surface, Chris Herd held his breath.

OTTAWA — The Trudeau government is moving to repeal mandatory minimum penalties for drug offences and some gun-related crimes, saying they do not make Canadians safer and unfairly affect Indigenous and Black offenders.

LANGFORD, B.C. — Data released by Vancouver police showing a surge in anti-Asian hate crimes last year reinforces the need to treat violence against people of colour as a hate crime, British Columbia’s premier says.

OTTAWA — A United Nations rights advocate and Human Rights Watch Canada say the Trudeau government isn't living up to its new international campaign against arbitrary detention because it is abandoning 25 Canadian children trapped in northern Syria.

As COVID-19 vaccine supplies gradually ramp up across the country, most provinces and territories have released details of who can expect to receive a shot in the coming weeks.

MONTREAL — A Quebec judge has ruled against a law firm that tried to deduct the cost of a lavish wedding for the daughter of one of its partners as a business expense.

FREDERICTON — The federal Fisheries Department will continue efforts this year to protect endangered North Atlantic right whales in Canadian waters, but it is making some changes to reduce the impact on the fishing industry.

EDMONTON — The exponential growth of unpaid property taxes from Alberta's struggling oilpatch is threatening small communities and they need new ways to enforce the rules, says the group that represents them.

OTTAWA — There is compelling evidence that a single dose of COVID-19 vaccines may provide almost as much protection as giving two doses, Canada's deputy chief public health officer said Thursday. Dr.