The latest news on the COVID-19 global pandemic (all times Eastern):
11:45
MPs are back in the House of Commons after the four main parties failed to reach consensus on keeping Parliament adjourned.
Now, a motion put forward by the Liberal government to sit once a week in person, and virtually otherwise, is being debated.
The Liberals have the support of the NDP and Bloc Quebecois for their proposal.
But the Conservatives disagree, saying more in-person debate and discussion of the government’s COVID-19 response is necessary.
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11:38 am. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says it is “heartbreak on top of heartbreak” when families whose loved ones were killed in Nova Scotia on Sunday cannot gather to mourn because of the COVID-19 physical distancing rules.
Trudeau says it is the same heartbreak felt by thousands of other Canadians who have lost loved ones to the virus, or to cancer or other illnesses.
He says there will be a virtual vigil on Friday night for all of Canada to support the community.
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10:40 a.m.
Ontario is reporting 606 new cases of COVID-19, the largest single-day increase, and 31 new deaths.
Despite the large increase, the new total of 11,184 cases is just 5.7 per cent higher than the day before, continuing a relatively low growth trend.
The total includes 584 deaths and 5,515 resolved cases.
The number of people in hospital confirmed to have COVID-19 and those on a ventilator went down slightly, while the number of people in intensive care remained stable.
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10:17 a.m.
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer says Parliament will reopen this morning.
He is blaming the NDP and Bloc Quebecois for siding with the Liberals in trying to limit debate and discussion around the government’s COVID-19 response.
All three parties have agreed to a single in-person sitting per week that can eventually be supplemented with virtual sittings.
But Scheer says that’s not enough, and it is possible for Parliament to safely meet more often.
Without a unanimous agreement, Parliament simply resumes as normal though not all 338 MPs have to be present.
The Canadian Press
