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Skunk in downtown Vancouver that bit people tests positive for rabies
B.C. skunk that bit people positive for rabies
A skunk that bit a number of people in downtown Vancouver has tested positive for rabies.
Vancouver Coastal Health issued a news release notifying the public of the confirmed case on Wednesday.
The health authority said interactions with skunks are rare, but "a small number of people bitten by the skunk have been assessed and received rabies vaccinations and immunoglobulin to prevent rabies."
Rabies virus is a fatal viral infection that affects the brain and nervous system. It is found in the saliva of infected animals and can be transmitted through a bite or a scratch from an infected animal, Vancouver Coastal Health said.
"Rabies virus is not transmitted through exposure to the spray, urine or feces of infected skunks," it added.
Though bats are the only known "reservoirs" for rabies in British Columbia, the authority said "occasional spillovers to other animal species in specific geographical areas, including skunks, have occurred in B.C."
The seriousness of the infection was highlighted in an issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal earlier this year, where infectious disease physicians described the case of an 11-year-old Ontario child who died of rabies in 2024.
Dr. Brian Hummel, the case report's senior author and a pediatric infectious disease physician at McMaster Children's Hospital in Hamilton, told The Canadian Press in June that it's "an extraordinarily rare infection" for humans in Canada, with only 28 cases reported since 1924.
The most recent rabies case before the 11-year-old boy was a man who died after exposure to a bat in B.C. in 2019.
Hummel said once symptoms of rabies start, there is no treatment or cure, but noted the virus has a relatively long incubation period — usually weeks — before symptoms of illness start to show.
Anyone who may have been bitten or scratched by a sick or abnormally behaving skunk in Vancouver's West End neighbourhood between Sept. 22 and Oct. 17 is being asked to contact Vancouver Coastal Health for assessment.
The release said anyone who lives outside the region should contact their local health authority for assessment.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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CRA is hiring for tax jobs in Canada that pay up to $149,000 a year
There are auditor, advisor, and specialist positions.
Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is hiring for tax-related positions across the country right now.
You can make up to $149,000 a year with these Government of Canada jobs.
The federal agency is looking for tax professionals to work in the Compliance Programs Branch, Legislative Policy and Regulatory Affairs Branch, and Appeals Branch to resolve complex compliance and regulatory issues.
The tax professional positions that the CRA is currently staffing are Regional Technical Advisor/Auditor, Senior Technical Specialist, Senior Technical Advisor, Regional Computer Audit Advisor, Industry Sector Specialist, Tax Appeals Case Specialist, and Appeals Policy Specialist.
If you're hired for any of these CRA jobs, the salary is between $125,309 and $149,779 per year.
The duties of the various tax jobs include:
- conducting extensive research and analysis
- interpreting policy and recommending solutions
- mentoring and providing technical guidance and expert advice on emerging, highly sensitive, or contentious tax issues
- providing direction and support to enhance program delivery within field operations
You must have a degree from a post-secondary institution with a specialization in accounting, business administration, commerce, economics, finance or tax, a post-secondary law degree, or eligibility to receive a designation from a recognized professional accounting association.
Experience requirements vary because the jobs span different branches of the CRA.
You must be willing to work overtime, travel, work evenings, weekends and statutory holidays, and work shifts or a flexible schedule.
A valid driver's license is required or personal mobility equivalent to having a driver's license.
The deadline to apply for these federal government jobs is Monday, October 26, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Various tax professional positions
Salary: $125,309 to $149,779
Company: Canada Revenue Agency
Who Should Apply: You need a post-secondary degree with a specialization in accounting, business administration, commerce, economics, finance or tax, a law degree from a post-secondary institution, or eligibility to receive a designation from a recognized professional accounting association.
Since the jobs are in different branches of the CRA, there are various experience requirements related to the departments.
You must be willing to work overtime, travel, work evenings, weekends and statutory holidays, and work shifts or a flexible schedule.
A valid driver's license is also required for these jobs.
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U.S. embassy accuses Canadian politicians of interfering in American elections
U.S. embassy accuses Canada of election meddling
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Keito Newman
The U.S. embassy in Canada has released a list of quotes from Canadian politicians which it says indicate "plans to influence American politics."
Industry Minister Melanie Joly is quoted five times in the list the embassy released today.
It includes context-free quotes from Joly about pressuring American businesses and targeting U.S. states, which addressed Canada's response to American-imposed tariffs.
In a news conference on Parliament Hill today, Prime Minister Mark Carney didn't directly address the accusations but pointed out that the United States initiated trade actions against Canada.
He said everything Canada has done since has been in the interests of Canadian workers and families.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who is also quoted in the U.S. embassy document, said he has no interest in interfering in American elections.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2026.
By The Canadian Press | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Des commentaires haineux et antisémites inquiètent la communauté juive au Québec
Suites aux rassemblements illégaux observés auprès de la communauté hassidique d'Outremont durant le dernier week-end, le Centre consultatif des relations juives et israéliennes-Québec (CIJA) a condamné plusieurs commentaires antisémites sur les réseaux sociaux.
L'organisation a d'ailleurs publié un avis sur Twitter visant à sensibiliser les gens à ce sujet et dénoncer.
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CIJA-Québec
Le CIJA a également réaffirmé que la communauté doit se conformer aux directives de la santé publique, condamnant les contrevenants.
« Bien que nous comprenions et partagions la frustration que cette histoire a suscitée, nous sommes également profondément préoccupés par la façon dont cela est exprimé sur les médias sociaux », indique le CIJA.
L'organisation, qui agit comme porte-voix de la communauté juive dans la province, se dit inquiète :
« De nombreux exemples inquiétants montrent que dans certains cas la colère de certains s’est exprimé de manière antisémite et haineuse. »
Ces commentaires sont d'ailleurs signalés auprès de Facebook et même au Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM), dans certains cas, mentionne le CIJA.
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