National News

 Life expectancy for Canadians decreased for the third straight year in 2022, and more people died of COVID−19 than in any other year since the pandemic began, according to a report released Monday.

Statistics Canada’s analysis of deaths last year shows the average Canadian’s life expectancy dropped to 81.3 years in 2022, a full year lower than the 82.3 years recorded in 2019.

"Life expectancy declines when there are more deaths, when deaths occur at younger ages, or a combination of both," the report said.

Two sisters are among four people who have died after being shot in downtown Winnipeg over the weekend.

“Our hearts go out to these families and the community," Insp. Jennifer McKinnon said Monday.

Officers were called shortly after 4 a.m. Sunday to a home where they found five people wounded. A man and woman were pronounced dead at the scene, and another man died from his injuries in hospital.

Police announced Monday another woman had also later died, and a 55-year-old man was in hospital in critical condition.

The Public Health Agency of Canada says one person has died after a salmonella outbreak linked to Malichita and Rudy brand cantaloupes.

An update from the agency posted on Friday offered no details on the person who died, but says there have been 63 confirmed salmonella cases linked to the outbreak and seventeen people hospitalized.

The agency issued food recall warnings three times in November for Malichita cantaloupes sold between October 11 and November 14.

The FBI says a deadly car crash and explosion at the Rainbow Bridge border crossing between New York state and Ontario shows no sign of terrorist involvement and there were no explosive materials at the scene, and the case has been turned over to the Niagara Falls Police Department as a traffic investigation.

Four of the busiest border crossing points between Canada and the United States are closed after a vehicle exploded at a U.S. checkpoint in Niagara Falls. 

The FBI confirmed it is investigating an explosion, which took place on the U.S. side of the Rainbow Bridge crossing in upstate New York.

Videos posted to social media show smoke and flames emanating from the checkpoint complex at the crossing, which spans the Niagara River. 

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement that she had been fully briefed and was monitoring the situation closely. 

Another Canadian astronaut will be heading to the International Space Station. 

Joshua Kutryk has been assigned to a six-month mission that will launch no earlier than the beginning of 2025.

François-Philippe Champagne, federal minister of innovation, science and industry, made the announcement today at the Canadian Space Agency headquarters, near Montreal.

As well, Champagne says Jenni Gibbons has been assigned as the backup astronaut for the historic Artemis II mission to the Moon.

There is hope more Canadians will soon be able to leave the Gaza Strip, after Qatar announced a truce−for−hostages deal between Israel and Hamas that would bring a four−day halt in fighting in the devastating six−week war.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry −− which had led weeks of indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas −− said it would announce within a day when the clock will start ticking on the truce, during which 50 hostages will be released in stages in exchange for what Hamas said would be 150 Palestinians prisoners held by Israel.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland tabled her fall economic statement on Tuesday, updating Canadians on the country's financial health and introducing some new measures to target the housing crisis. 

Here are the highlights. 

— $20.8 billion: New federal spending since the spring budget.

— $488.7 billion: Total government spending for the current fiscal year, through the end of March 2024. 

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland tabled a fall economic statement on Tuesday that aims to support middle-class Canadians amid soaring consumer prices and looming mortgage renewals. 

She announced $168 million in new spending over six years for programs focused on at saving Canadians money. 

Here's what the government proposes to do. 

Competition and trade 

The Liberals have proposed several amendments to the Competition Act in an attempt to improve consumer choice and lower prices.

Nearly a dozen members of the family of Pauline Brazeau were in Cochrane Provincial Court today (Nov. 21) in hopes of getting a glimpse of her accused murderer of nearly 47 years ago.

Ronald James Edward, 74, did not make an appearance. Instead, newly-appointed counsel Pawel Milczarek appeared before Justice Marian De Souza to request disclosure documents from the Crown.

The case returns to Cochrane court on Dec. 5, and Brazeau's family intends to return in hopes of finally seeing the accused.