B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton dead following prison attack
Convicted B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, who preyed on women he lured from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside to his rural pig farm, has died.
The federal government is unlikely to challenge Quebec’s controversial proposal to apply a tax on the unvaccinated in the province, says former premier Jean Charest.
Quebec has assured Ottawa that they will follow the principles of the Canada Health Act in implementing the levy – if they didn’t, the federal government could withhold health transfers.
Charest said that won’t happen.
“I’ve been there. In the days when I was premier of Quebec, there were things we were doing, that in certain instances, may have been outside the Act. The federal government won’t move on [this], they’ll let it pass,” he said during an interview on CTV’s Question Period airing Sunday.
“Do they want to be on the side—and that's the dilemma right now for governments—be on the side or be seen as on the side of the anti vaxxers? … Intervening directly within the health-care system of Quebec? That would be frankly, that would be a very bad move on their side.”
Quebec announced the proposal last Tuesday, noting the levy would apply to those without a medical exemption and could be executed as soon as the next several weeks.
Premier François Legault stipulated that $50 or $100 wouldn’t be a “significant" enough penalty for him.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau weighed in on the issue during a pandemic update the following day, noting that “incentives and strong measures” have worked in the fight against COVID-19.
He said the federal government is awaiting more details.
In a separate interview on CTV’s Question Period, Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc said provincial governments are free to act how they see fit in their own jurisdictions.
“What we're supportive of, is to use every available mechanism to encourage Canadians to get vaccinated, to do the right thing. In our own jurisdiction, whether it's federally regulated industries, banks, telecommunications companies, airlines, we've imposed vaccine mandates,” he said.
“So provinces are looking within their own jurisdiction, and what they think is the best way to encourage vaccine uptake.”
MNA Christopher Skeete says the tax proposal stems from the simple fact that there is a financial and societal cost to not getting the jab.
“It's reflected in the contagion, that they propagate the virus, it's also seen in the fact that a lot of people are ill from work, because they’ve gotten COVID. So there is a cost in terms of resources, in terms of money, in terms of society for these decisions, and I think at some point we have to have a discussion about that,” he said.
Skeete reiterated that the bill won’t be a “punitive” one, but rather one that emphasizes the “onerousness” of not getting vaccinated for legitimate reasons.
Charest said there’s been widespread support of the announcement among Quebecers who are growing increasingly more frustrated with the public health ramifications of the unvaccinated.
“People in this province are very, very frustrated with the unvaxxed because there is, in their mind, a very direct link between the fact that they are occupying hospital beds, and they are in emergency units, when in fact there are people who are being deprived of health services and life-depending services because of their decision. So, that's the reason why there's wide support,” he said.
Convicted B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, who preyed on women he lured from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside to his rural pig farm, has died.
Two young children and three adults were seriously injured in a major collision on Highway 417 between Palladium Drive and Carp Road in Ottawa's west end Friday afternoon.
The Department of National Defence is moving approximately 1,000 employees out of an office building in Ottawa's Lowertown neighbourhood, citing safety concerns for its employees.
A newborn is dead after being delivered via emergency C-section to a woman in police custody.
Marian Shields Robinson, the mother of Michelle Obama who moved with the first family to the White House when son-in-law Barack Obama was elected president, has died. She was 86.
Jennifer Lopez has cancelled her 2024 North American tour, representatives for Live Nation confirmed to The Associated Press.
There's a luxury 'tree home' for sale in Calgary.
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Health Canada recalled various items this week, including more unauthorized products, counterfeit drugs and bassinets.
A hefty donation by a renowned local activist to the University of Winnipeg has created what is believed to be the most comprehensive two-spirit archives in all of Canada.
Leanne Van Bergen discovered a skulk of 10 baby foxes, and two mothers, had made themselves at home on her property in Beausejour.
An 81-year-old Waterloo, Ont. woman thought she’d never ride a horse again after a brain bleed led to severe physical complications.
A CP24 camera caught the moment a driver frantically got out of her car as it was being dragged by a truck on Avenue Road Wednesday afternoon.
Prince Edward Island is celebrating its first-ever International Day of Potato on Thursday.
The president of Covered Bridge Chips in New Brunswick is hoping to have his factory rebuilt for late 2025 following a devastating fire last year.
Students and staff at Winnipeg’s Westwood Collegiate had a unique problem to solve this month; how do you lead ducks to water from the school’s courtyard when 12 of them can’t fly yet?
Debby Lorinczy remembers her father as an amazing person and as a man who also made an amazing discovery.
Abigail Strate is a member of the Canadian national ski jumping team and an Olympic bronze medallist. She's also a certified beekeeper.