Published on July 19th, 2021 at 09:27am EDTUpdated on July 19th, 2021 at 01:32pm EDT
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Canada is extending its flight ban on India.
The restrictions will roll over for one more month until August 21.
On April 22, 2021, Canada introduced a travel ban on both India and Pakistan due to concerns on rising cases of COVID-19 variants. All passenger and business flights from the two countries were suspended.
The ban was initially in place for 30 days but it was extended once for Pakistan and then lifted last month on June 21.
Meanwhile, the Canadian government has announced it is easing travel restrictions on fully-vaccinated tourists beginning in August.
Canada has also lifted other travel restrictions over the past month. As of late June, all Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) Holders (i.e., newly approved immigrants) are now allowed to travel to Canada and complete their landings. In addition, Canada now exempts fully-vaccinated travellers from needing to quarantine.
The relaxed travel rules come amid Canada’s recent success in fighting COVID-19. The country now enjoys one of the highest vaccination rates in the world with some 80 per cent having received one shot and over 40 per cent being fully vaccinated. In addition, case counts last week were in the 400-per-day range compared with a peak of over 9,000 per day in April 2021. This has also allowed provinces across the country to reopen and reduce their social distancing requirements.
India is by far Canada’s leading source country of new immigrants and international students. In recent years Indians have accounted for 20 per cent of new permanent residents and 30 per cent of new students.
Canada is pursuing its most ambitious immigration targets ever. Beginning this year, it is seeking to welcome over 400,000 new immigrants annually to support its post-COVID economic recovery.
A growing share of Canada’s new immigrants are former international students. Canadian government research shows former students tend to integrate successfully into the country’s labour market. As such, Express Entry, the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), and other skilled worker programs offer advantages to international students such as extra points and dedicated pathways.
OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is travelling to Bermuda today to give a eulogy at the funeral for businessman Peter Green.
Green was a lifelong family friend to Trudeau and, as reported by the National Post, his family owns a luxury estate in Jamaica where Trudeau has stayed at no cost.
Trudeau’s last holiday trip to the posh Caribbean locale stirred a raft of political controversy at the start of the year, which came as Canadians were tightening their belts due to the higher cost of living.
Parliament’s ethics watchdog ruled out investigating Trudeau’s repeat vacations at the island villa after establishing the two men were in fact close friends.
Former prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau made headlines for his stays at the same estate dating back to at least the mid-1970s.
The prime minister is expected back in Ottawa later today, according to an itinerary published by his office.
The elder Trudeau was also godfather to Green’s son, Alexander, who spoke at his funeral on Oct. 3, 2000.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 13, 2024.
CARIBOU, N.S. – The ferry company that provides service between Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island says it expects to get one of its boats back in the water before the end of the sailing season.
Northumberland Ferries says repairs to the MV Confederation — which was removed from service on Sept. 15 after it collided with a wharf — should be finished by Dec. 3.
The company says the vessel could then resume serving its route between Caribou, N.S., and Wood Islands, P.E.I., on Dec. 6.
Northumberland Ferries says it has concluded mechanical failure was not a factor in the collision and its investigation is continuing.
Once the ferry is back in the water, the company plans to offer four daily four round trips until the season ends on Dec. 20.
Northumberland Ferries has said the MV Saaremaa 1, which was also pulled from service in September, will not return this year.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 13, 2024.
HALIFAX – The Nova Scotia NDP has released its election platform, which emphasizes affordability and housing and commits to spending an additional $2 billion over two years.
Its pledges include building 30,000 new affordable rental homes and temporarily removing the provincial tax on gasoline while inflation is high.
Party leader Claudia Chender says the measure would save drivers 15.5 cents per litre at the pump, but she did not say at what point the tax would be reintroduced.
Chender says, if elected, the NDP would address affordability by increasing income assistance rates and removing the provincial tax on phone bills, internet and groceries that are not already tax-free.
To tackle health-care access, the NDP says it would open 15 new collaborative family doctor clinics in its first year in power, with 15 additional clinics added in each of the next two years.
When asked if Nova Scotia can afford to spend $2 billion on the NDP platform’s planned spending from 2025-2027, Chender says inaction would carry too great a cost.
“Nova Scotia can’t afford not to fix the housing crisis, can’t afford not to fix our access to primary care, can’t afford not to make sure that everyone can pay the bills each month,” she said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 13, 2024.
