The Canadian Press

The Supreme Court of Canada has decided not to hear an appeal by several churches that fought Manitoba's COVID-19 restrictions.

Lawyers for the churches argued public health orders in 2020 and 2021 that temporarily closed in-person religious services, then permitted them with caps on attendance, violated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

They lost that argument in two lower courts.

The Manitoba Court of Appeal ruled last year the restrictions were necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and allowable under the Charter.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has spoken with Haiti's now-departing prime minister about the ongoing humanitarian, security and political crises in that country.

A readout issued by the PMO late Monday said Trudeau expressed his concern to Ariel Henry about the situation in Haiti, and that he underscored Canada’s longstanding support for Haitian-led solutions.

Henry announced early Tuesday that he would resign once a transitional presidential council is created.

Canada's federal government as well as organizations representing some the nation's beef producers warn a decision south of the border about "Product of USA" labels on meat, poultry and eggs could disrupt supply chains.

The United States Department of Agriculture announced Monday a final rule on conditions for when voluntary "Product of USA" or "Made in the USA" labels may be used, stating they will be allowed for meat, poultry and egg products only when they are derived from animals born, raised, slaughtered and processed in the United States.

The families of two slain First Nations women are continuing to press the Manitoba government to search a landfill for their remains.

The families, along with supporters and Indigenous leaders, rallied outside the legislature and accused the government of delays and inaction.

Cambria Harris, whose mother Morgan Harris is believed to have been killed and taken to the Prairie Green Landfill, says she hasn't heard from the province in weeks.

Pope Francis has named a retired Quebec Superior Court judge to investigate allegations of sexual touching against a senior leader of the province's Roman Catholic Church.

In a Feb. 8 mandate letter, Francis asked André Denis to conduct an investigation into "the facts, circumstances and imputability" of the allegations against Cardinal Gérald Lacroix.

The allegations against Lacroix emerged in January when he was named as a perpetrator in a class-action lawsuit alleging sexual assault by clergy and staff who were under the supervision of the Quebec City archdiocese.

Former prime minister Brian Mulroney was remembered by politicians of all political stripes Thursday as a "giant" and a "visionary," as the country absorbed the news of his death at the age of 84.

"Mr. Mulroney was one of the greatest prime ministers in Canadian history," said former Quebec premier Jean Charest, who served in Mulroney's cabinet.

Mulroney died peacefully while surrounded by his family, his daughter Caroline, an Ontario cabinet minister, said on social media. Her spokesman later said he had been hospitalized in Palm Beach, Fla., after a recent fall.

The federal natural resources minister says Saskatchewan residents won’t get a carbon rebate, after the province announced it would stop remitting the levy on natural gas to Ottawa.

Jonathan Wilkinson says the province’s move hurts lower income families in Saskatchewan, who would get more in the rebates than they pay in the levies.

Premier Scott Moe had announced the province’s gas utility would stop collecting the carbon price from customers in January, and the province had until Thursday to remit those dollars.

Statistics Canada says there are now more millennials than baby boomers in the country, ending the 65-year reign of the post-Second World War generation as the largest cohort in the population.

The federal agency noted the change in its population estimate for July 1, 2023, broken down by age and gender released today.

The average age in Canada dropped slightly between July 1, 2022 and July 1, 2023 for the first time since 1958.

However, Statistics Canada says the number and proportion of people aged 65 years and older have continued to rise.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew have announced more than $633 million in health-care funding.

Almost $434 million is to support Manitoba's three-year plan to improve health care and about $199 million is to bolster care for seniors.

In a news release, the governments say the funding is to support Manitoba's goal to hire 400 more doctors, 300 more nurses, 200 paramedics and 100 homecare workers.

A mother, her three young children, including a two−month−old daughter, and a teenage family member killed in Manitoba are being remembered as beautiful souls.

An obituary has identified the victims as Amanda Clearwater, her children, Bethany, Jayven, and Isabella Manoakeesick, and niece Myah−Lee Gratton.

Family and friends have also been sharing stories of the family on social media, calling their deaths tragic, unimaginable and a horrible nightmare.

Their bodies were found Sunday at multiple crime scenes in and around the town of Carman, southwest of Winnipeg.