Federal health spending has outpaced provinces, analysis shows

Despite castigation from provincial premiers over lagging federal contributions to health spending, an analysis of 20 years of health funding data shows that federal transfers have mostly outpaced increases to provincial health budgets. 

In 2023, federal health transfers amounted to $47.1 billion, a 212 per cent increase over 2005, when the transfers were $15.1 billion. Total spending by all 10 provinces grew in that time to $221.9 billion up from $86.2 billion, an increase of 158 per cent.

Liberal immigration pivot forces Canada to reckon with approach to labour shortages

The Liberal government's decision to reel in the temporary foreign worker program after loosening the rules to help businesses find workers after the pandemic is sparking a contentious debate about whether governments should even try to address labour shortages.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Monday that his government is bringing back stricter rules to stem the flow of low-wage temporary foreign workers, and he urged businesses to hire and train Canadian workers.

Canada Post at 'critical juncture,' financial situation unsustainable: board chair

The chair of Canada Post’s board says the organization’s financial situation is unsustainable.

"The board and senior management recognize that Canada Post is at a critical juncture," said André Hudon at its annual general meeting on Wednesday.

"Significant change is urgently needed to preserve Canada Post's delivery network, which is vital because it's the only delivery network built to serve all Canadians."

Dumbbell toy from Fisher-Price Baby Biceps Gift Set recalled due to choking hazard

Health Canada says a recall has been issued for the dumbbell toy from the Fisher-Price Baby Biceps Gift Set because of a choking hazard.

A kettlebell toy, protein shake bottle and wearable headband that are also part of the set are not included in the recall.

The agency says grey caps on the end of the dumbbell toys can come off, posing a choking hazard to infants.

It says as of Aug. 15, Fisher-Price has received four reports in Canada and seven in the United States of the ends of the dumbbell toy coming off, with no reports of injuries.

2023 wildfire emissions were quadruple Canada's annual fossil fuel emissions: study

A new study says planet-warming emissions from Canada's record-breaking 2023 wildfire season were quadruple the country's fossil emissions for all of the previous year and on par with some of the most high-emitting countries. 

The study penned by researchers at NASA, and published in the journal Nature, says only China, India and the United States release more carbon per year than Canada's 2023 wildfires from May to September. 

Poilievre urges Singh to end NDP deal with Liberals, force fall election

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has written to the leader of the New Democrats, urging him to force an election this fall.

Poilievre's letter to Jagmeet Singh says the NDP does not have a mandate from voters to keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in power for another year.

He's urging Singh to vote non-confidence in the government when the House of Commons resumes in September.

The NDP entered a supply and confidence deal with the Liberals in 2022, agreeing to keep the minority government in power until 2025 in exchange for movement on key priorities.

Saskatchewan schools making sure pronoun law followed as kids head back to class

Saskatchewan's two largest school divisions say they’ve addressed concerns from teachers and are enforcing the province’s pronoun law as children head back to classrooms next week.

Jason Coleman, superintendent of student achievement at Regina Public Schools, says students under 16 who want to change their names or pronouns in school are required to have parental consent. Those older can do so without.

Some parents have said no, said Coleman. When that happens, the division works with students on getting them to a place where they can communicate with their families.

Study finds no evidence Tories were behind bot campaign that posted about Poilievre

There is no evidence that indicates the federal Conservatives were behind a bot network on social media that praised a Pierre Poilievre rally, a new study has found. 

The Canadian Digital Media Research Network launched an investigation after hundreds of X accounts posted about the Conservative leader's July rally in Kirkland Lake, Ont., all using the same language with phrases like "buzzing with energy" and "as a northern Ontarian."

Man sentenced to life for slayings of four Indigenous women in Winnipeg

A serial killer has been formally sentenced to four concurrent life sentences with no chance of parole for 25 years in the slayings of four Indigenous women in Winnipeg.

Jeremy Skibicki showed no emotion as the sentence was handed down Wednesday.

When asked by Court of King's Bench Justice Glenn Joyal if he had anything to say, Skibicki replied, “No.”

The judge said he was bound by law to impose the automatic sentence after convicting Skibicki last month of four counts of first-degree murder.