Canada Day

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is on his way to Rwanda for the first leg of a 10-day trip to confer with other world leaders as the war in Ukraine is expected to loom large over nearly all his discussions.

An Ottawa police officer says this Canada Day will be "unprecedented and unique" with a never-before-seen security posture as the main events take place off Parliament Hill and protests are planned throughout the day.

The symbolism attached to national flags often revolves around patriotism, but experts say the Maple Leaf’s prominent appearance at COVID-19 mandate protests comes at a moment of reflection for Canada.

The government's response to it — led by remarks that were repeatedly revised — would lead to the resignation of a cabinet minister, would prompt veiled criticism of then-premier Brian Pallister from government caucus members and may have hastened Pallister's departure from the premier's office.

Canadians may think that reconciliation was born of altruism. That the government gifted reconciliation to survivors in an act of contrition. But that’s not true, writes columnist Karyn Pugliese, a.k.a. Pabàmàdiz.

British Columbia will move toward a return to normal life on Canada Day as the province removes most COVID-19 restrictions and allows outdoor gatherings of up to 5,000 people.

For those willing to accept the truth about residential schools, Canada is not the country they thought they knew. But there is an opportunity to change it, writes columnist Karyn Pugliese, a.k.a. Pabàmàdiz.

Those who want Canadians to reflect on our shared past as it actually is, rather than some idealized or sanitized version, aren’t trying to “cancel” Canada Day, writes columnist Max Fawcett — they’re trying to infuse it with some actual meaning.

Federal politicians are faced with the country's legacy of residential schools as July 1 approaches, with the Conservative leader railing against calls to cancel Canada Day, while Liberal ministers and the NDP leader say it should be a time of reflection.

Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says she'll soon have advice to help fully vaccinated Canadians figure out what they can safely do, but it won't be a blanket list of dos and don'ts covering everyone, everywhere.

Procurement Minister Anita Anand said this week she is confident Canada's COVID-19 vaccine deliveries will only get better going forward but just hours after she made the remark, Canada's vaccine purchases got slammed again.

The federal government says it has extended tight rules barring most foreign travellers from entering Canada until the end of July as part of efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19.