Trudeau en route to Southeast Asia for summits aimed at deeper Indo-Pacific ties

CHARLOTTETOWN – Public health officials in P.E.I. say more than 550 people have experienced symptoms of gastrointestinal illness after an outbreak of norovirus was detected at a shellfish festival last weekend.

The province’s chief public health officer says the new number is based on responses to an online questionnaire aimed at people who attended the P.E.I. International Shellfish Festival in Charlottetown from Sept. 19 to 22.

Public health officials say four ill people went to emergency departments and one person was hospitalized.

Norovirus, which is spread through contaminated foods or liquids,has been detected in stool samples from some of those who became ill after attending the festival.

To minimize the risk of gastrointestinal illness at future events, officials are recommending additional health inspections before and during the festival, enhanced sanitation during food preparation and preventing food handlers from working when sick.

Other recommendations include: having more hand-washing stations; working with a sanitation company to clean common touch surfaces daily; and keeping samples of prepared food in cold storage for at least 48 hours after the event has ended.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

MONTREAL – More than 100 Quebec musicians, comedians and other artists are rallying behind a historic Montreal concert hall that temporarily closed its doors this week after a court ordered it to stop making too much noise.

Heavyweights of Quebec’s entertainment industry, like composer Robert Charlebois and singer-songwriter Coeur de pirate, signed the letter that was published in La Presse decrying the court ruling that led to La Tulipe’s decision to shut down.

This week the Court of Appeal ordered La Tulipe — which opened its doors more than a century ago — to ensure no noise from its sound equipment is audible in a neighbouring building.

Calling on the City of Montreal to intervene, the letter says the court ruling ignores cultural workers and that it has allowed unhappy neighbours to silence a “cultural jewel.”

On Thursday night, a crowd of protesters equipped with drums and other percussion instruments gathered in front of La Tulipe to show their support for the venue — and anger at the owner of the adjacent building that brought the venue to court.

That same day, The Plateau-Mont-Royal borough where La Tulipe is located took the first step to modify a bylaw, invoked by the court in its ruling, so that the rule no longer applies to concert halls.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be travelling to France next Thursday to attend the Francophonie summit.

The meeting of French-speaking countries, which happens every two years, will be held on Oct. 4 and 5 in Villers-Cotterêts and Paris.

The Prime Minister’s Office says Trudeau will work with other heads of state to further shared priorities including democracy and human rights.

Representatives from Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Quebec will also be at the meetings.

Leaders are also expected to make a decision on applications to join the international francophonie body, including Nova Scotia’s application for observer status.

Trudeau has attended the summit four times since he was first elected in 2015.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.