Radio Canada International

Questions about Canada vaccine supply and sharing internationally

Even as vaccinations proceed at a good pace in Canada, some new developments have raised questions not only about the AstraZeneca vaccine, but about administration programmes and possible surpluses. Canada, like many nations was desperate for vaccines when they started to become available and ordered millions of dosses each from a variety of pharmaceutical companies, in fact, millions more doses …

COVID-19: North American opinions on summer vacation travel, and the Olympics

This is now the second summer of COVID-19 and opinions on travel continue to be varied. Many insist travel restrictions must remain in place to combat spread, while many others indicate they’re getting fed up with restrictions A new survey by Leger360 and the Association of Canadian Studies, in conjunction with the Canadian Press, examined travel plans and opinions about travel to the Olympics in…

Backlog growing for immigrant citizenship applications in Canada

Canada already had a substantial backlog of people in Canada waiting for their citizenship applications to be processed when the pandemic hit. A year ago there were almost 90,000 applications waiting for the citizenship test. When the pandemic required offices to be closed with in-person meetings and gatherings cancelled and with many other staff working from home. testing for the most part came …

Researchers find simple surgery prevents strokes in heart patients

A simple surgery can save patients with irregular heart beats from often-fatal strokes, according to a large international study led by researchers at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. There is an unused, finger-like appendage in the heart which can trap blood and increase the risk of clots. Removing this left atrial appendage was found to cut the risk of strokes by more than one-third in…

Canadian whales to be sent to U.S aquarium

Five beluga whales in Canada are expected to be sent to a U.S aquarium possibly as early as this weekend. Following a long battle to overcome various legal and government approval processes, the four female and one male beluga will be sent from the Marineland aquatic and recreational park in Niagara Falls, Ontario to the Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut, U.S.A. Environmental groups in both countrie…

Highly demanded in community, Clubhouse finally roll out Android App

After rapid growth and a flat increase curve aftermath, voice social App forerunner, Clubhouse finally moves forward with a solid stride. On Sunday, Clubhouse announced an Android version is coming to the world. In a press release, Clubhouse says “Access to Clubhouse via Android has been by far the top request from the community of users.” The beta Android App of Clubhouse has been open to users …

Bacteria only colonize the gut during and after birth: study

Research in recent years has uncovered the vital importance of a person’s gut bacteria for things such as digestion and overall health. But there has been some controversy as to when bacteria begin to colonize a human. New research has found it happens during and after a baby’s birth and not before. The study was led by scientists at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario in collaboration with …

Company pays to encourage employees to get vaccinated

A company north of Montreal is promising to pay its employees $1,250 if they present proof they have had a first COVID-19 vaccination and it will pay the same again when they get their second shot. Countries around the world are encouraging their citizens to get vaccinated and generally, the number of people who are resistant is decreasing. In Canada, those willing to get the inoculation has incr…

Muslim worshippers take part in Friday prayers in the Old City of Jerusalem

Muslim worshippers take part in Friday prayers at the Dome of the Rock Mosque in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the Old City of Jerusalem, Friday, May 14, 2021. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

A person walks along Spadina Avenue in Chinatown in Toronto

A person walks along Spadina Avenue in Chinatown in Toronto on Thursday, May 13, 2021. Ontario Premier Doug Ford says public health measures are driving down COVID-19 cases, but they need to be maintained a few weeks longer so that the province can return to some semblance of normal this summer. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

People use social distancing circles at Trinity-Bellwoods park in Toronto

People use social distancing circles at Trinity-Bellwoods park in Toronto, on Thursday, May 13, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston

RCI English section: goodbye

Canada’s international broadcast service from the English language team of Radio Canada International has come to an end. RCI, (originally the International Service, CBC-IS) was initially created towards the end of the Second World War. The purpose was to broadcast news and information from home via shortwave to Canadian military personnel fighting in Europe. It also began providing reliable news…

Greyhound cancels all intercity bus service in Canada

After operating in Canada for nearly a century, Greyhound bus Lines announced yesterday all service in Canada would end immediately. Around 400 jobs will be lost in total. The move is blamed on declining ridership but greatly worsened by the pandemic with its various official health requirements and by fears of the public or the close proximity with other passengers. In 2018, the company ended al…

Quebec tables much-anticipated language legislation

Quebec’s Coalition Avenir Québec majority government has tabled much-anticipated– and controversial –legislation that it says will strengthen and protect the French language in the province. The proposed bill would revamp the province’s long-standing language legislation, known as Bill 101 –first adopted in 1977 by the government of René Lévesque –that made over the linguistic rules of the provin…

Conservancy acquires special turtle habitat

The spiny softshell turtle is designated as endangered under Canada’s Species at Risk Act but it is getting a helping hand from conservationists. Concerned land owners have sold two properties just under two hectares large near one of the few sites where the turtles lay their eggs. These properties are located 70 kilometres southeast of Montreal along the Rivière aux Brochets in Pike River, Monté…

Families of air disaster victims offered new way to settle in Canada

The Canadian government is offering more support for the families of victims of two plane crashes by giving them new ways to obtain permanent residence status in Canada. (The minister responsible for immigration has said Canada hopes to admit 401,000 new permanent residents in 2021. However, the process is long and there is a massive backlog and delay in processing times.) On March 10, 2019, Ethi…

Canadian Civil Liberties Association says steep fines don’t help Covid fight

In a report published today, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association says some provinces took a more punitive approach toward COVID-19 infractions during the pandemic’s second wave and questions if that is the best way forward. “Our new report finds that, during the second wave of COVID-19, many jurisdictions where there had previously been limited forms of COVID-19 enforcement, issued an increa…

Union calls for anti-scab legislation

Canada’s largest private sector union, Unifor, is calling on legislators to enact anti-scab laws across the country. Only the provinces of Quebec and British Columbia have made it illegal for companies to bring in individuals to replace workers who are on strike or who have been locked out. Unifor has sent a research report on the effects of using scab labour to all elected provincial, territoria…

Solar installers install solar panels on a roof in Toronto

Solar installers Derek Craig, left, and Dave Osborne install solar panels on a roof in Toronto on Wednesday, May 12, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

A man walks in front of the remains of destroyed building in Gaza City

A man walks in front of the remains of destroyed building after being hit by Israeli airstrikesb in Gaza City, Thursday, May 13, 2021. Gaza residents are bracing for more devastation as militants fire one barrage of rockets after another and Israel carries out waves of airstrikes. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

People wait to receive vaccine for COVID-19 in Mumbai, India

People wait to receive vaccine for COVID-19 outside a vaccination centre in Mumbai, India, Thursday, May 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)

Tragically Hip set to return to national television at Junos in June

The iconic Canadian musical rock band The Tragically Hip are set to perform on television for the first time since the death of their lead singer, Gord Downie, almost four years ago. The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences ( CARAS) announced today the band will be part of the 50th Juno Awards broadcast on June 6. Downie was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer, in 2015.…

The world is ‘unfit’ to prevent another pandemic: expert panel

It took too long for countries to respond to the first cases of pneumonia of unknown origin in December 2019 in order to protect people from COVID-19, according to a panel of experts appointed by the World Health Organization. ‘February 2020 was…a lot month’ “February 2020 was…a lost month when many more countries could have taken steps to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-02 and forestall the globa…

Funding will help foreign nurses get certified to work in Canada

Canada has a shortage of nurses and the government has announced funding to help foreign nurses get their credentials to be able to work in Canada. The federal government will provide over $2.3 million for three projects to help nurses from other countries get certified and to help meet what it calls the health care system’s urgent need for nurses. Certification different in each province, territ…

Vaccine passports: Canadians yes, Americans no

An international survey this month shows a majority of Canadians agree with the idea of a ‘passport’ showing the holder has been vaccinated against COVID-19. The survey also shows only about 4 in 10 Americans would support the idea, with an almost equal number against. The latest figures show about 40 per cent of Canadians have received at least one vaccine shot, and the Leger360 online survey fo…