National News

OTTAWA — The federal government said Thursday it has designated the first Friday of June each year as National Day Against Gun Violence.

HALIFAX — The largest wildfire ever recorded in Nova Scotia continued to grow Thursday as an adjacent fire in the province's southwest corner kept the coastal town of Shelburne on edge.

OTTAWA — Bill Blair is blaming Canadian Security Intelligence Service director David Vigneault for the fact that he didn't receive a memo warning about the alleged targeting of Conservative MP Michael Chong and his family by a Chinese diplomat.

QUEBEC — The Quebec government wants to ban the sale of products that aren't intended to last and reinforce consumers' ability to repair the products they buy.

OTTAWA — The head of Canada's public broadcaster will remain in her role for another 18 months, after her contract was extended by the federal heritage minister.

OTTAWA — A massive amount of land has already been scorched by wildfires in Canada this year, and federal fire officials warn the hot, dry weather fuelling the burns is nowhere near over.

MONTREAL — Quebec's forest fire prevention agency said Thursday that two wildfires were burning out of control in the province, including one in northern Quebec that has led to the evacuation of about 500 homes.

Ontario has committed to paying a third of the cost to save a $5-billion electric vehicle battery plant in Windsor, Ont., premier Doug Ford said Thursday.

MONTREAL — A report into problems plaguing a suburban Montreal hospital emergency room makes 135 recommendations for improving the situation, chief among them accelerating the building of a replacement for the aging critical care unit.

HALIFAX — As volunteer firefighter Mark Zawidzki battled eye-stinging smoke and flying embers to save homes from the Halifax wildfire, he realized its flames were headed to a neighbouring subdivision — and his own residence. But he kept working.