Saturday, December 27, 2025
ADVT 
National

Leave regulators to approve COVID tests: Freeland

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 24 Sep, 2020 08:27 PM
  • Leave regulators to approve COVID tests: Freeland

Health Canada says it can't provide any information about the status of any of the rapid-testing devices for COVID-19 it is reviewing.

Pressure is mounting on the federal government to approve tests that can provide faster results as hospitals and public health agencies across Canada struggle to keep up with the demand for COVID-19 testing.

Deputy Conservative leader Candice Bergen says the government promised in March that getting rapid tests was a priority and yet half a year later, there are still none in use in Canada.

At least 14 such devices are under review by Health Canada but the department's spokesman says he cannot comment on the status of the applications during the scientific assessment process.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says it would be wrong for politicians to put pressure on Health Canada to approve any of the devices.

Several other countries have had some of the faster tests in use for months now, including Japan and the United States, but Health Minister Patty Hajdu said last week Canada is not yet convinced the technology is good enough.

MORE National ARTICLES

Twitter accounts of Joe Biden, billionaires, and companies targeted in an unprecedented social media breach

Twitter accounts of Joe Biden, billionaires, and companies targeted in an unprecedented social media breach
High profile individuals such as Joe Biden, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and other Twitter account users were targeted in a widespread hack to offer fake bitcoin deals on Wednesday in one of the most unprecedented security breaches on a social media site.

Twitter accounts of Joe Biden, billionaires, and companies targeted in an unprecedented social media breach

30 year old South Asian man killed on Monday seen a valued member of the community

30 year old South Asian man killed on Monday seen a valued member of the community
The 30-year-old man who was shot and killed in Vancouver's Punjabi Market on Monday has received kudos from the Vancouver Punjabi Market on their Instagram page.

30 year old South Asian man killed on Monday seen a valued member of the community

Bank of Canada says rates will stay low for a long time.

Bank of Canada says rates will stay low for a long time.
The Bank of Canada left its key interest rate unchanged at 0.25% and says it is likely to remain at that level for at least two years as the economy gradually recovers from the coronavirus pandemic and measures to contain it.

Bank of Canada says rates will stay low for a long time.

Body found after fire in Langley, B.C.: RCMP

Body found after fire in Langley, B.C.: RCMP
Police are investigating after a body was found in a wooded area on the boundary between Langley, B.C., and Surrey on Wednesday morning.

Body found after fire in Langley, B.C.: RCMP

Feds urged to review Alberta coal mine project

Feds urged to review Alberta coal mine project
A lawyer at the centre of a lobbying effort to stop a coal mine from expanding in Alberta says the federal government's refusal to do its own environmental review of the project is the ultimate in "climate hypocrisy."

Feds urged to review Alberta coal mine project

Proposed deal reached in B.C. foster care case

Proposed deal reached in B.C. foster care case
A proposed settlement agreement has been reached in the case of a British Columbia government guardian, who is alleged to have stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars from vulnerable foster children.

Proposed deal reached in B.C. foster care case