5 things to know for Friday, June 18, 2021

TORONTO -

Canada has now fully vaccinated 17.94 per cent of the country's eligible population. Here's what else you need to know to start your day.

1. Second doses: The National Advisory Committee on Immunization is now recommending that people who received a first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine receive a second dose of an mRNA vaccine, such as Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna.

2. Border reopening: The U.S. is gearing up to send one million additional doses of the Moderna vaccine to Canada at the same time calls mount on both sides of the border to ease travel and quarantine measures.

3. Green party leadership: Under attack by her own party's executives, Green Party Leader Annamie Paul is doubling down in defiance.

4. Historic nomination: The judge poised to be the first person of colour on the Supreme Court of Canada says he experienced discrimination "as a fact of daily life" while growing up.

5. Reno on the Hill: The massive ongoing renovation of Parliament Hill, centred on revitalizing and reworking Centre Block, is expected to take until at least 2030 and cost up to $5 billion to complete.

One more thing…

Stem cell donations: To cap off the end of Pride month, the 'Saving Lives with Pride' campaign is urging sexually active gay and bisexual men to register as potential stem-cell donors. (Courtesy of Stem Cell Club, Justin Saint, Freidawhales and Justin Joel Koette)

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Canada

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Attempt to have murder charge quashed against alleged serial killer dismissed by judge

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Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban

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World

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California sets long-awaited drinking water limit for 'Erin Brockovich' contaminant

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Politics

House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power

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Government proposes new policy for federally regulated employees to disconnect from work

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Health

Province says 'heavy lifting' done on new family doctor funding model, but negotiations continue

Progress has been made on a new compensation model for family doctors, with the Alberta Medical Association (AMA) hopeful for a fall rollout.
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Sci-Tech

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Entertainment

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Business

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Lifestyle

Beagles rescued from American animal testing facility find loving foster homes in Alberta

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Sports

Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA for life

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Autos

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Local Spotlight

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Toronto

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Calgary

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Ottawa

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Montreal

Gas prices jump up past $1.90 across Quebec

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Edmonton

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Atlantic

N.S. RCMP investigating sudden death in Bass River

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Winnipeg

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Regina

Government, STF reach tentative agreement, members to vote

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SUMA conference concludes with bear pit session

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Kitchener

Wide turns leaving Ayr residents short on patience with transport truck traffic

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Saskatoon

Sask. woman accused of driving while high in fatal crash takes the stand

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Former Sask. massage therapist who sexually assaulted clients has day parole revoked

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Northern Ontario

Body of missing man found, northern Ontario police say

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London

London police officer charged with impaired

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Twinning of Highbury Avenue for VW Plant starts Monday

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Historic first meeting in 150 years yields commitment to cooperate, and to hopefully meet again

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Barrie

Death investigation launched after body washes onto Lake Couchiching shore

Provincial police are investigating after a man's body washed up on the shores of Lake Couchiching in Severn Township.
Tim Hortons Roll Up The Rim contest faces backlash amid another ‘technical error’

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Multi-vehicle collision involving a semi-truck halts traffic

A multi-vehicle collision involving a semi-truck snarled traffic in Barrie on Wednesday afternoon.

Windsor

Illegal drugs seized from downtown Windsor business

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Family saved by organ donors encourages registration

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Gas prices set to rise 'dramatically' Thursday

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Vancouver Island

B.C. asks anglers to help eradicate this sport fish common in the rest of Canada

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Parents fighting to save unique Mill Bay school from returning to catchment pool

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No connection between police response, man's death near Vancouver Island trail: IIO

B.C.'s police watchdog has finished its investigation into an incident on Vancouver Island, concluding the actions of officers weren't connected to a man's death.

Kelowna

Nurses rally at B.C. Interior hospital over security, staffing concerns

Nurses held a rally Wednesday at a hospital in the B.C. Interior that closed its emergency department more than a dozen times last year due to insufficient staff.
B.C. to add 240 complex-care housing units throughout province

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Evacuation of Kelowna, B.C., apartment near construction site extended for two weeks

More than 80 residents from a low-income apartment building in Kelowna, B.C., have learned they won't be able to return to their homes for at least another two weeks.

Lethbridge

Deterrent sentence possible, expert says, after trio convicted in connection to Coutts border blockade

Three men who helped lead and co-ordinate the 2022 border blockade at Coutts, Alta., have been found guilty of public mischief.
Central Alberta man arrested in connection with grandparent scam

Lethbridge police have arrested a Vermilion, Alta., man in connection with a 'grandparent scam' that took aim at a local senior.
Woman, 61, killed in crash north of Coaldale, Alta.: RCMP

An Alberta woman was killed in a multi-vehicle crash on a highway north of Coaldale, Alta., on Wednesday morning.

Sault Ste. Marie

Sault cracking down on people who misuse accessible parking spots

For the next several months, the City of Sault Ste. Marie will be cracking down on people who improperly use accessible parking spaces.
Suspected drug dealer assaulted officer, Sault police say

A suspect riding a bicycle on Gibbs Street in Sault Ste. Marie this week has been charged with assaulting police, along with drug-related offences.
Sault suspect exposed herself, charged at police with an umbrella

Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 26-year-old woman with several offences following an incident Monday morning.

N.L.

500 Newfoundlanders wound up on the same cruise and it turned into a rocking kitchen party

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Protest averted as Newfoundland and Labrador premier helps reach pricing deal on crab

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A fish harvester's protest threatens Newfoundland and Labrador's crab season -- again

Longliners across Newfoundland and Labrador are tied up once again, as a new protest by the province's fish harvesters threatens to derail the crab fishery for a second straight year.

5 things to know for Friday, June 18, 2021

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BREAKING | Fatal crash closes section of Hwy. 417 in Ottawa's east end

BREAKING Fatal crash closes section of Hwy. 417 in Ottawa's east end