National News

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.

OTTAWA — A cross-party group of MPs and senators is hoping to grant honorary Canadian citizenship to Russian political prisoner Vladimir Kara-Murza in the coming weeks. "He embodies the movement for a democratic Russia," Ontario Sen.

OTTAWA — Two prominent gun-control groups are urging the Liberal government to proceed without delay in drafting regulations that will flesh out firearm legislation being reviewed by the Senate.

It's been five years since Canadian prosecutors were given the tools to cut deferred prosecution deals with companies accused of corruption, but only two have been approved by the courts since then.

OTTAWA — Métis leaders urged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government on Thursday to speed up its plans to introduce and pass self-government legislation before Parliament breaks for summer.

MONTREAL — Quebec's language law reform is continuing to draw criticism and legal challenges from the province's English community as more of its provisions come into effect Thursday, exactly a year after it received royal assent.