National News

VICTORIA — British Columbia's budget forecast shows a surplus of $5.7 billion, dwarfing the previous estimate and giving the government room to help people facing the ongoing cost-of-living crunch, says Finance Minister Selina Robinson.

MONTREAL — The Quebec government said Friday it will appeal a landmark Superior Court ruling that bans random police stops, because the province said the court decision deprives police of an important law-enforcement tool.

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defended his decision to invoke the Emergencies Act to a public inquiry Friday, displaying moments of introspection while acknowledging the seriousness of declaring a public order emergency and insisting it was the right thing to do

OTTAWA — Notes taken during a conversation between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and former interim Conservative leader Candice Bergen shed more light on their discussion about reaching out to "Freedom Convoy" protesters. Details of that Feb.

OTTAWA — International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan has tweeted about raising human rights concerns during his visit to Qatar for the World Cup after opposition criticism.

OTTAWA — The cockpit voice recording from an Air Canada plane that crashed on a Halifax runway can be disclosed to parties in a class-action lawsuit, the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled.

OTTAWA — Federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos says the previously announced one million units of imported kids' pain relievers are starting to arrive on pharmacy shelves, while an additional 500,000 units have been ordered and are expected over the next few weeks

OTTAWA — The federal government is extending employment insurance sickness benefits to 26 weeks, up from 15 weeks, Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough announced on Friday.

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was the last witness to testify at the public inquiry into his Liberal government's decision to invoke the Emergencies Act to quell protests in Ottawa and at several Canada-U.S. border crossings last winter.

MONTREAL — Quebec is making the flu vaccine free for all residents this year. The shots had only been free for certain high-risk groups and for health-care workers.