Friday, June 19, 2026
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

Open Data Is Now Available In Delta!

Information such as election outcomes and property and utility related data is now freely available to the public, easy to access, and simple to reuse.

Open Data Is Now Available In Delta!

StatCan Overreached With Plans: Privacy Czar

StatCan Overreached With Plans: Privacy Czar
OTTAWA - The federal privacy watchdog says the national statistics agency could not justify plans to collect data about Canadians' financial transactions without their knowledge or consent.    

StatCan Overreached With Plans: Privacy Czar

One Year After Arrests, Canadians Held In China Set To Face Trial

OTTAWA - Canada's justice minister says he is troubled that two Canadians detained in China have been denied access to lawyers as they face trials where convictions are virtually assured.    

One Year After Arrests, Canadians Held In China Set To Face Trial

Taxpayers' Watchdog Launches Probe Of Child Benefit Rules, Program

Taxpayers' Watchdog Launches Probe Of Child Benefit Rules, Program
Sherra Profit says in a statement today she continues to hear about challenges with how the Canada Child Benefit is administered despite raising the matter with the government and the Canada Revenue Agency.    

Taxpayers' Watchdog Launches Probe Of Child Benefit Rules, Program

Chrystia Freeland To Sign New NAFTA Deal With U.S., Mexico

OTTAWA - An agreement has been reached on a North American free trade deal, with all three countries set to sign the agreement today.    

Chrystia Freeland To Sign New NAFTA Deal With U.S., Mexico

Ontario Man's Drug-Trafficking Case Tossed Over Road-Side Strip Search

Ontario Man's Drug-Trafficking Case Tossed Over Road-Side Strip Search
In his decision, Ontario Superior Court Justice Cary Boswell excluded incriminating evidence because officers violated Robert Cave's constitutional rights.

Ontario Man's Drug-Trafficking Case Tossed Over Road-Side Strip Search