Wednesday, July 8, 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

Court Dismisses Latest Helmut Oberlander Effort To Fight Stripping Of Citizenship

The Federal Court of Appeal dismissed the latest legal action from Helmut Oberlander, whose case dates back to the 1990s.

Court Dismisses Latest Helmut Oberlander Effort To Fight Stripping Of Citizenship

Woman's Angry Health-Care Plea To Nova Scotia Premier Goes Viral - WATCH

"To the premier of Nova Scotia, I dare you to take a meeting with me … and tell me there is no health-care crisis," Inez Rudderham, 33, said in a viral Facebook video that has been viewed over 1.5 million times.

Woman's Angry Health-Care Plea To Nova Scotia Premier Goes Viral - WATCH

New Sustainable Energy Engineering Building Unveiled At B.C.’s Simon Fraser University

New Sustainable Energy Engineering Building Unveiled At B.C.’s Simon Fraser University
SURREY, B.C. — Simon Fraser University has unveiled a new building featuring state-of-the-art facilities for a sustainable energy engineering program aimed at clean-technology innovation.

New Sustainable Energy Engineering Building Unveiled At B.C.’s Simon Fraser University

Struggling B.C. Adoption Agency Elects New Board That Intends To Keep It Open

Struggling B.C. Adoption Agency Elects New Board That Intends To Keep It Open
A Vancouver Island adoption agency that is struggling with a decline in foreign adoptions has been saved from closure.

Struggling B.C. Adoption Agency Elects New Board That Intends To Keep It Open

Last Member Of Vancouver Baseball Team That Fought Racism Helps Unveil New Stamp

BURNABY, B.C. — A new Canada Post stamp honours an amateur Japanese-Canadian baseball team that used sport to battle racism and discrimination.    

Last Member Of Vancouver Baseball Team That Fought Racism Helps Unveil New Stamp

Surrey Stabbing Leave 32-Year-Old Man With ‘Potentially Life-Altering Injuries’

Surrey Stabbing Leave 32-Year-Old Man With ‘Potentially Life-Altering Injuries’
On April 23, 2019 at approximately 8:07 pm, Surrey RCMP responded to a report of a stabbing in the 13700 block of 97A Avenue.    

Surrey Stabbing Leave 32-Year-Old Man With ‘Potentially Life-Altering Injuries’