National News Briefs
- COVID-19 On The Rise – Ottawa officials are watching the city’s respiratory illness trends after the holidays. The weekly average level of coronavirus in Ottawa’s wastewater, as of Jan. 2, had been rising since the last week of November and is rising faster for the most recent week. (CBC)
- 800+ Drivers Charged During Ride Campaign – More than 800 drivers in Ontario were charged with impaired driving offenses during the holiday festive RIDE campaign. The OPP says officers charged 812 drivers with a total of 1,258 impaired driving offences between Nov. 17 to Jan. 2. (CP24)
- Alberta Man Receives Life Sentence – An Alberta farmer who shot and killed two Métis hunters after his father chased them down a public road has been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 13 years. Court of King’s Bench Justice Eric Macklin said the farmer killed two innocent men doing no more than celebrating a successful day providing food to others. (Edmonton Journal)
- House Speaker Vote Turns Chaotic – Republican Kevin McCarthy failed to win the House speakership on a 14th ballot late Friday, falling one vote short as tensions boiled over in a chaotic scene on the House floor. Fingers were pointed, words exchanged and one lawmaker was restrained as colleagues stared in disbelief. (The Star)
