National News

A record store in Rome got an unexpected visitor Tuesday evening: Pope Francis in his cassock.

A man who is spreading happiness across Canada through his cool cultural dancing videos is overjoyed by the response of his cross-county neighbours.

The fast-paced cultural dance that originated on farmers' fields called Bhangra sticks out against Gurdeep Pandher's snowy Yukon background, but that is exactly the point. He dances to spread happiness, but also to inspire cross-cultural relationships, including by dancing with people such as an Indigenous chief and Celtic dancers.

Radiologists are warning that Canadian hospitals are in serious need of more equipment and staff to deal with medical imaging backlogs that the country was already facing before the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Dr. Gilles Soulez, president of the Canadian Association of Radiologists, said wait times for medical imaging that is critical for diagnoses was already more than the recommended one month when the pandemic began in March 2020. On average, he said, Canadians were waiting 50 to 82 days for a CT scan and 89 days for an MRI. 

The federal prison service says it is making several changes to help prisoners addicted to opioids, including getting them faster access to treatment by eliminating a waiting list that is hundreds of people long.

The Correctional Service of Canada says the changes were made in response to the opioid crisis sweeping Canada and to resolve a human rights complaint launched in 2018.

The complaint filed by Prisoners' Legal Services in B.C. claimed they were being denied treatment for their addictions or had to wait months to get therapy.

As infections fuelled by the Omicron variant threaten to overwhelm Canada's health system, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is promising the provinces will have enough COVID-19 vaccines to provide everyone eligible booster shots and fourth doses if they become necessary.

Trudeau made the pledge in a statement issued late Monday after he spoke with provincial and territorial leaders, saying Ottawa will do all it can to help them cope with the fifth wave of the pandemic.

Justin Trudeau says Ottawa will do all it can to help provinces and territories cope with the fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, as infections fuelled by the Omicron variant threaten to overwhelm health systems.

The prime minister spoke with provincial and territorial leaders yesterday, and a statement issued by his office says he assured them that there are enough vaccine doses available for all eligible Canadians to receive third booster shots. 

Former CFL running back Jerome Messam has pleaded guilty to voyeurism after videotaping a consensual sexual encounter without the woman's permission.

Messam appeared via a video link in a Calgary courtroom today to enter the guilty plea.

Court heard that he sent the woman four video snippets of their November 2016 encounter on the social media platform Snapchat.

She later made a formal complaint to police and the Canadian Football League.

Messam had his contract with the Saskatchewan Roughriders terminated after he was charged.

Buckingham Palace is keeping tight-lipped about a concert commemorating Queen Elizabeth II's 70 years on the throne.

February 6 marks 70 years on the throne for The Queen. Celebrations for the Platinum Jubilee will begin this summer, including concerts and pageantry between June 2 to 4.

Mail delays could be common in Manitoba and across the country as Canada's crown corporation experiences COVID-19-related staffing issues.

Manitobans are not alone in noticing their mail being delayed. Canada Post says this is occurring across the country as they are experiencing staffing issues due to the pandemic and the effects of omicron. 

Canada's chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says the Omicron variant is causing an "enormous" volume of COVID-19 cases, but severe illness is not rising at the same rate.

Tam says the average daily case count rose 65 per cent from last week, with an average of close to 42,000 cases being reported daily over the past seven days up to Wednesday.