Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada is not drawing “firm conclusions” on allegations that the novel coronavirus — which has now caused devastation worldwide — came from a lab in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Trudeau said Canada has been working with its Five Eyes partners — Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States — on “various” pieces of intelligence regarding the COVID-19 outbreak.
But, he said it is “too early to draw firm conclusions.”
Trudeau said Canada will continue to work with intelligence and allies around the world to “find answers to the many questions people are asking.”
Asked by reporters if an investigation had been ordered into the claims, Trudeau said Canada is working with partners and “indeed independently” on “many security issues that are important to Canadians at this point.”
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But, he said his government’s main focus “remains on how we are working to protect Canadians.”
China has insisted the laboratory is not to blame, with a spokesperson for its foreign ministry calling the claims “unfounded and purely fabricated out of nothing.”
1:38 Report says China hoarded Canadian PPE in early days of COVID-9 outbreak
Report says China hoarded Canadian PPE in early days of COVID-9 outbreak
But, earlier this month, the U.S. announced it would be investigating the possibility that the virus made its way into the human population due to a leak at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV).
According to U.S. media reports, cables from the U.S. State Department suggest Embassy officials visited the research facility in 2018. After their visit, officials expressed concerns about inadequate safety measures at the facility.
In a previous interview with Global News, Jeffrey Joy, an assistant professor at the University of British Columbia’s faculty of medicine whose research focuses on virus evolution, said while the idea that this coronavirus escaped the WIV is “conceivable,” it is also “highly implausible in this case.”
He said the genome shows the virus’ origin and spread occurred in nature, which is a common event for several coronaviruses, including ones that don’t become deadly pandemics.
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What’s more, Kristian Anderson, who is studying the novel coronavirus at Scripps Research in La Jolla, California told the Associated Press that the odds of the virus having been accidentally released from the lab in Wuhan are “a million to one,” far less likely than an infection in nature.
2:25 Coronavirus outbreak: White House says Trump comments about virus from Wuhan lab ‘consistent’ with intelligence assessments
Coronavirus outbreak: White House says Trump comments about virus from Wuhan lab ‘consistent’ with intelligence assessments
Dr. Jason Kindrachuk, an assistant professor and Canada Research Chair in emerging viruses at the University of Manitoba, also said there is currently no scientific evidence to support the theory that this novel coronavirus escaped from a lab.
“Indeed, accidental laboratory exposures and escapes have occurred in the past, including the influenza virus and SARS-CoV,” Kindrachuk wrote in an Op-Ed in Forbes.
“However, this week the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff echoed that the weight of evidence continued to suggest natural rather than accidental emergence for SARS-CoV-2.”
Kindrachuk said there has been “no other science supporting the escape theory.”
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly pushed the theory.
Most recently, on Thursday, Trump told reporters he had been shown evidence that gave him a high degree of confidence, that the virus came from the WIV.
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But, he didn’t offer any specifics, saying he was “not allowed” to disclose that type of information.
EDMONTON – RCMP say a second suspect has been arrested in the killing of an Alberta county worker.
Mounties say 28-year-old Elijah Strawberry was taken into custody Friday at a house on O’Chiese First Nation.
Colin Hough, a worker with Rocky View County, was shot and killed while on the job on a rural road east of Calgary on Aug. 6.
Another man who worked for Fortis Alberta was shot and wounded, and RCMP said the suspects fled in a Rocky View County work truck.
Police later arrested Arthur Wayne Penner, 35, and charged him with first-degree murder and attempted murder, and a warrant was issued for Strawberry’s arrest.
RCMP also said there was a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Strawberry, describing him as armed and dangerous.
Chief Supt. Roberta McKale, told a news conference in Edmonton that officers had received tips and information over the last few weeks.
“I don’t know of many members that when were stopped, fuelling up our vehicles, we weren’t keeping an eye out, looking for him,” she said.
But officers had been investigating other cases when they found Strawberry.
“Our investigators were in O’Chiese First Nation at a residence on another matter and the major crimes unit was there working another file and ended up locating him hiding in the residence,” McKale said.
While an investigation is still underway, RCMP say they’re confident both suspects in the case are in police custody.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
RICHMOND, B.C. – The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the 26-year-old son of a man found dead on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast has been charged with his murder.
Police say 58-year-old Henry Doyle was found badly injured on a forest service road in Egmont last September and died of his injuries.
The homicide team took over when the BC Coroners Service said the man’s death was suspicious.
It says in a statement that the BC Prosecution Service has approved one count of first-degree murder against the man’s son, Jackson Doyle.
Police say the accused will remain in custody until at least his next court appearance.
The homicide team says investigators remained committed to solving the case with the help of the community of Egmont, the RCMP on the Sunshine Coast and in Richmond, and the Vancouver Police Department.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
VANCOUVER – Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, have broken off without an agreement following 15 hours of talks.
Joe McCann, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they stayed at the bargaining table with help from a mediator until 2 a.m. Friday and made “some progress.”
However, he says the union negotiators didn’t get an offer that they could recommend to the membership.
McCann says that in some ways they are close to an agreement, but in other areas they are “miles apart.”
About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people who can’t navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last week, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.
McCann asks HandyDART users to be “patient,” since they are trying to get not only a fair contract for workers but also a better service for customers.
He says it’s unclear when the talks will resume, but he hopes next week at the latest.
The employer, Transdev, didn’t reply to an interview request before publication.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
