Evening Update: Trudeau seeks paid sick leave for workers in bid for NDP support; Canadian vaccine candidate shows promise in animal tests

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Good evening, let’s start with today’s top coronavirus stories:

Trudeau seeks 10 days of paid sick leave for workers in bid for NDP support

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he’ll push the provinces to give workers 10 days of paid sick leave a year as the country deals with the COVID-19 pandemic. That appeared to meet a key demand from NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh in exchange for his party’s support for a motion to limit sittings and votes in the House of Commons through the summer. But Singh said the promise fell short of the NDP’s demands.

A small number of MPs returned to the Commons today to begin debate over parliamentary sittings. The Conservatives are expected to oppose the motion as they push for an end to the COVID-19 committee and the resumption of sittings with no more than 50 MPs in the chamber at any time.

Meanwhile, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet criticized other political parties for accessing the wage subsidy program aimed at supporting workers and businesses. Federal figures show payments from the Canada Emergency Response Benefit now total $40.33-billion to 8.21 million applicants, pushing the program further beyond its $35-billion budget.

Canadian vaccine candidate delivers promising results in animal tests

A team of infectious disease researchers at the University of Saskatchewan is reporting that its candidate vaccine for COVID-19 has proved successful in animal studies. That sets the stage for human testing as soon as larger batches of the vaccine can be produced and checked in follow-up animal tests.

Separately, the World Health Organization has suspended testing hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19 patients because of safety concerns. The malaria drug has been touted as a possible treatment by U.S. President Donald Trump, who has said he is taking it.

Across Canada:

Ontario Premier Doug Ford is urging anyone who was among a large crowd of people at Trinity Bellwoods Park in Toronto or other big gatherings over the weekend to get tested for COVID-19. Yesterday, the province announced it is expanding its criteria for testing to include asymptomatic individuals who may have been exposed to the disease.

Many retail stores in the Montreal area opened their doors today, with customers being asked to practise physical distancing and follow hygiene protocols.

Read more: How retailers are adapting to the new reality as they reopen stores

In Alberta, restaurants and hair salons in Calgary and Brooks are now allowed to reopen.

People in British Columbia bought more alcohol this March and April than they did in the same period the previous two years, echoing trends seen elsewhere in the country as the coronavirus pandemic took hold.

In international news:

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China racing to impose new law criminalizing Hong Kong protests

Beijing is pledging to move quickly on a new law that will extend China’s concept of justice to those who challenge Communist Party leadership in Hong Kong. At least 180 protesters were arrested in yesterday’s crackdown. Fear is spreading through charities and advocacy groups, as the law will end the city’s status as a haven for human-rights groups, Asia correspondent Nathan VanderKlippe reports.

ALSO ON OUR RADAR

EU probes Air Canada-Transat deal: Air Canada’s bid for Canadian tour operator Transat AT may result in higher prices and less choice for flights between Europe and Canada, European Union antitrust regulators said as they opened a full-scale investigation into the deal.

Woods, Manning beat Mickelson, Brady in golf fundraiser: Star power, trash talk and, finally, live sports were all part of a televised golf match yesterday that paired Tiger Woods with Peyton Manning and Phil Mickelson with Tom Brady and saw the pro golfers and NFL legends raise US$20-million for COVID-19 relief.

Brian May recovering from heart attack: The Queen guitarist revealed in an Instagram video today that he recently had three stents put in after experiencing “a small heart attack,” saying the procedure was a success.

Watch: Jacinda Ardern keeps her cool during a TV interview as an earthquake rattles New Zealand’s capital.

MARKET WATCH

Canada’s main stock index rose today as investors looked to an eventual economic recovery from the coronavirus with more countries scaling back lockdown measures. Pot stocks rallied sharply on a day the U.S. market was closed for the Memorial Day holiday.

The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite closed up 161.78 points or 1.08 per cent at 15,075.42.

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TALKING POINTS

Quarantine was supposed to buy Ontario time. The province squandered it

“After squandering one quarantine, it will be exceedingly difficult to convince restless residents to hunker down for another.” - Robyn Urback

Our current approach to COVID-19 won’t work as well for a second wave. We must prepare now

“The problem is that not nearly enough attention has been given to where many jurisdictions are now, which we call ‘Stage 3’ – the prolonged in-between phase after the escalation and emergency periods but before the pandemic is resolved.” - Jaason Geerts, researcher and consultant for the Canadian College of Health Leaders and LEADS Canada

LIVING BETTER

If your productivity wanes in the afternoon, consider what you eat for lunch. A new study conducted on U.S. women found that eating a single high-saturated-fat meal can impair cognitive function. Here’s what you can add to your diet to support brain function:

TODAY’S LONG READ

It’s peak season for another widespread disease waiting for Canadians in parks and campgrounds – Lyme

As Canadians rush outdoors after weeks in lockdown, researchers and public-health officials warn of a less novel but ever-increasing infectious villain waiting for them in the woods: black-legged ticks. The timing could not be worse: Peak season for the tiny bug, which carries the bacteria that cause Lyme disease, is happening just as governments across the country lift COVID-19 restrictions on parks and camping areas.

If you spend time in nature where the presence of ticks is high – which includes the entire province of Nova Scotia, swaths of Manitoba, much of Vancouver Island, as well as areas in and around cities such as Ottawa and Toronto – conduct a tick check each night. Ticks are barely perceptible when they latch on to a host.

The chances of being infected with Lyme disease from a tick bite are about 3 to 5 per cent, according to research. But the percentage of cases that develop into heart problems may be up to 10 per cent, said Adrian Baranchuk, a cardiologist and researcher in Kingston. “If it goes undiagnosed, the possibility of having serious complications is not that small." Read Erin Anderssen’s full story here.

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