In the news today: Poll suggests pausing price on carbon popular

Sixty-three per cent of respondents say they support the move — and it’s most popular in Atlantic Canada, where it will have the biggest impact.

About one-third of homes in the Atlantic region use heating oil.

Seventy per cent of the people surveyed say they would support the government expanding the exemption to include all other forms of home heating fuel.

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Here’s what else we’re watching …

Feds promise Indigenous loan guarantee program

The federal government is promising a new Indigenous loan guarantee program in its fall budget update.

Ottawa says details about the next steps of the program could come in the spring.

But people who have long been pushing for such a program are still waiting to find out if it will allow Indigenous communities to pursue any projects they wish — or if the oil and gas industry could be cut out.

A loan guarantee would protect lenders from potential defaults by including language that a third party — in this case, the federal government — would pay the bill should the borrower default.

Tuesday’s fiscal update says the government wants to ensure that Indigenous communities share in the benefits of major projects in their territories on their own terms.

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Hostage deal raises hope for Canadians in Gaza

There is hope that more Canadians will soon be able to leave the Gaza Strip, after Qatar announced a truce-for-hostages deal between Israel and Hamas that would bring a four-day halt in fighting in a devastating six-week war.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry — which had led weeks of indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas — said it would announce within a day when the clock will start ticking on the truce, during which 50 hostages will be released in stages in exchange for what Hamas said would be 150 Palestinians prisoners held by Israel.

The Israeli government said it would extend the lull by an additional day for every 10 hostages released.

Global Affairs Canada has said one Canadian is missing, but won’t confirm if that person is being held hostage, a possibility Washington hinted at in a statement over the weekend.

No Canadians were along those on Wednesday’s list of foreign nationals approved to cross into Egypt from Gaza.

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Fear of avian flu descends on B.C. farms

Poultry farmers in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley are reporting “extremely high” levels of stress as the latest avian flu outbreak puts millions of commercial birds at risk.

Amanda Brittain with the B-C Poultry Association says farmers are taking extra precautions, including disinfecting any vehicles travelling to and from their properties and wearing personal protective gear.

She says farmers are isolating themselves from each other to avoid spreading the virus and resorting to online platforms to discuss how to handle the outbreak.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says there have been 39 infected commercial and backyard flocks in B-C since October 20th, as wild birds migrate south over the farms, spreading the disease.

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Day 2 of Quebec public sector strike

Unions representing hundreds of thousands of Quebec public sector workers, particularly in health care and education, are on strike again today.

The workers are part of a “common front” of four major unions that have planned a three-day strike until Thursday, which has closed schools and delayed surgeries.

The unions say the government’s most recent contract offer, a 10.3-per-cent salary increase over five years and a one-time payment of $1,000 to each worker, isn’t enough.

The union representing 80,000 nurses and other health-care workers will strike on Thursday and Friday, while a teachers union with 65,000 members is launching an unlimited strike later this week.

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Canadian astronaut corps getting new assignments

Some Canadian astronauts are set to get new assignments today.

François-Philippe Champagne, the federal minister of innovation, science and industry, will announce the roles at the Canadian Space Agency headquarters, just south of Montreal.

There are currently four active Canadian astronauts, with the most junior pair – Jenni Sidey-Gibbons and Joshua Kutryk – selected in 2017.

They joined David Saint-Jacques and Jeremy Hansen, both of whom became part of the astronaut corps in 2009.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 21, 2023.

The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

In the news today: Poll suggests pausing price on carbon popular

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