National News

OTTAWA — The ability to express oneself helps create a healthy democracy, the Supreme Court of Canada said Thursday in setting out rules for deciding when a lawsuit has merit or is intended simply to quell participation in matters of public interest.

VICTORIA — British Columbia's financial outlook is being hammered by the COVID-19 pandemic, but a partial recovery is on the horizon next year, says Finance Minister Carole James. But James, who described herself as a realist Thursday, said B.C.

QUEBEC — The head of a Quebec bar owners' association says the provincial government is banning karaoke indefinitely due to concerns over COVID-19.

TORONTO — A wealthy businessman will have to pay more than $50,000 a month in spousal support for 10 years to a woman with whom he had a long-term romantic relationship even though they kept separate homes and had no children together, Ontario's top

OTTAWA — Canada's election watchdog says former finance minister Bill Morneau broke the law when he promoted Liberal candidates at events he attended while in charge of the finance portfolio.

OTTAWA — Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the quarantine system is "broken" because federal health officers are not charging people ignoring self-isolation orders for COVID-19.

EDMONTON — A series of severe weather events in Alberta this year has led to insured damages of nearly $2 billion.

Quebecers who flout rules requiring face coverings in indoor public spaces will be subject to a fine beginning on Saturday, Premier Francois Legault announced Thursday.

OTTAWA — The parliamentary budget officer says growth in spending on federal employees has more to do with the amounts spent per worker and not because there are more workers to spend on.

OTTAWA — The demise of WE's Canadian operations won't take the heat off Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over his government's decision to hire the charity to run a now-defunct student volunteer program.