COVID-19 Ottawa:
Ottawa Public Health is confirming 41 new COVID-19 cases in the capital Friday.
3,960 cases have been reported in Ottawa during the pandemic, with 3129 resolved, and 551 active cases. No new deaths related to the virus are being reported Friday, leaving that number at 280.
Meanwhile,
Cases continue to climb at local schools.
Ottawa Public Health is reporting new outbreaks at Centre Educatif Seraphin-Marion, and Ecole Secondair Publique Louis-Riel. Outbreaks have now been confirmed at seven different schools in the Capital.
COVID-19 Ontario:
There are 409 new cases, and one new death related to the virus across Ontario Friday.
Health Minister Christine Elliott says 65 per cent of the new cases are in people under the age of 40. 48, 905 cases has been confirmed in the province throughout the pandemic. 42,169 have been resolved, with 2,837 deaths related to the virus.
Restaurants to Close Earlier, Strip Clubs Ordered to Close:
The province is imposing tighter restrictions on bars and restaurants because they pose a higher risk of COVID-19 exposure.
It has announced that they must close at midnight, except for takeout and delivery. Also, they will have to stop serving alcohol by 11:00 pm. The province is also ordering all strip clubs to close entirely.
Parliament Won’t Sit This Weekend:
Parliament will not sit this weekend to debate a bill that includes new pandemic aid legislation.
The Conservative motion did not receive the unanimous consent it needed to pass in the House of Commons. Bill C-2 pledges to create a more robust employment insurance system and three new temporary benefits to replace the Canada Emergency Response Benefit. That expires Saturday.
Another Arrest Made in Haldimand Land Back Demonstrations:
A woman, 56, from Six Nations has been charged with arson in connection with the ongoing Land Back demonstrations in Caledonia.
Police say the woman turned herself in to the Haldimand OPP station and was charged with arson, two counts of mischief, disobeying a court order and failure to comply with an undertaking.
She becomes the 23rd person that police say has been arrested and charged with violating ongoing court injunctions that prevent Six Nations land defenders and their supporters from entering the McKenzie Meadows construction site in Caledonia or blocking roadways in Haldimand.
Screen Awards Make Changes For Indigenous Content:
The organization behind the Canadian Screen Awards has announced some equity-driven changes and initiatives.
One of them is a new rule concerning eligibility requirements for Indigenous content. It includes awards for projects that tells an Indigenous story and-or is from an Indigenous perspective.