National News

Canada Post is launching four new stamps showcasing Indigenous artists' visions for truth and reconciliation.

The Crown corporation says this is the first in an annual series meant to encourage reflection on the painful legacy of Canada's residential schools.

The stamps were released on Thursday, a day before the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Friday.

The series features artwork by Jackie Traverse, Gayle Uyagaqi Kabloona, Kim Gullion Stewart and Blair Thomson. The stamps are inscribed with the Indigenous language of each of their creators.

Robert Cormier, a Toronto-born actor whose credits include “American Gods" and the long-running CBC series “Heartland” has died at age 33.

The funeral director at Ridley Funeral Home confirmed the death, but did not reveal a cause.

An obituary on the funeral home's website said Cormier died on Sept. 23 and described him as “an athlete, an actor, and a great brother” whose memory will live on "through his passion for art and film." 

Cormier appeared on “Heartland” as Finn Cotter, the grandson of Duncan Fraser’s Al Cotter. 

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is demanding an end to the vaccine mandate for military members, but his health critic suggested the situation might need a more nuanced approach.

Last week, Poilievre called for an end to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for members of the Canadian Armed Forces, saying it was "obviously unscientific and contradictory" to keep that rule in place while ending the requirement for those crossing the border into Canada.

Hurricane Ian rapidly intensified as it neared landfall along Florida's southwest coast Wednesday morning, gaining top winds of 155 mph (250 kph), just shy of the most dangerous Category 5 status. Damaging winds and rain lashed the state, and the heavily populated Naples to Sarasota region was at highest risk of a devastating storm surge.

Distraught residents of a southwestern Newfoundland town shared stories of survival with Justin Trudeau on Wednesday as the prime minister got a close look at yet another coastal town shattered on the weekend by post-tropical storm Fiona.

"We barely made it out," Amy Osmond told Trudeau between sobs as she struggled to recount her memories of the day the storm hit Port aux Basques, forcing her to run for her life while trying to grab her dog and keys.

Hurricane Ian is quickly gaining monstrous strength as it moves over oceans partly heated up by climate change, just like 30 other Atlantic tropical storms since 2017 that became much more powerful in less than a day.

This turbocharging of storms is likely to become even more frequent as the world gets warmer, scientists say.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly urged countries to uphold women’s rights and abortion access on Monday, while Canada announced looming sanctions on Iranian officials over the death of a young woman who was detained by the country's morality police.

In a speech to the United Nations General Assembly, as the global gathering draws to a close, Joly summarized Canada’s priorities and concerns in foreign relations, including by calling for more multilateral solutions to problems like climate change and sexual violence.

A graduated driver's licence program in Alberta that has been in effect for the past 19 years is getting an overhaul.

The Graduated Driver Licensing program was introduced in Alberta in 2003. New drivers are not permitted to drive between midnight and 5 a.m. Their licence can be suspended with an accumulation of eight or more demerit points, and there is zero tolerance in the use of alcohol or drugs while driving.

Jocelyn Gillam knows she’s lucky to be alive after coming face-to-face with the post-tropical storm that destroyed part of her southwestern Newfoundland town and nearly swept her away in a surge of rushing water.

Gillam was standing near her home in Port aux Basques on Saturday morning when a storm surge hit, sweeping her off her feet and dragging her underneath a Jeep as she clung to the undercarriage for dear life.

The 61-year-old said she'd been chatting with family and neighbours when she turned her head and “saw Fiona coming.”

Federal ministers say all COVID-19 border restrictions will end as of Saturday, including mandatory vaccinations, testing and quarantine of international travellers, as well as mandatory masks on planes and trains.

The cabinet order maintaining COVID-19 border measures will not be renewed when it expires on Sept. 30.

The change will mean foreign nationals no longer require an approved series of vaccinations to enter the country.