Jean-Yves Duclos: Latest News

The federal health minister is warning provinces not to charge Canadians fees for “medically necessary” care, including telemedicine and some private services, in a new letter released Friday.

Canada Health Transfers from provinces, including Alberta, over “patient charges levied during 2020-2021, for medically necessary services that should be accessible to patients at no cost.”A summary posted online by the government of Canada shows Alberta’s deductions will be $13.8 million.Federal health minister Jean-Yves Duclos sent letters to all provinces and territories, expressing concerns about a recent increase in reports of patient charges for medically necessary services, including telemedicine and some private services.“There has been evidence of residents paying out of pocket to access diagnostic services such as ultrasounds, MRI and CT scans — services that should be accessible at no cost,” Duclos said in a statement.“This is not acceptable and will not be tolerated.”“It is critical that access to medically necessary services, whether provided in-person or virtually, remains based on medical need and free of charge.” Read more: Ottawa warns provinces not to charge fees for medically necessary services When asked about this Friday, Alberta Health Minister Jason Copping said he hadn’t seen the letter, hasn’t been fully briefed and didn’t know the amount Alberta would lose.However, he said there has been an “ongoing dispute” about how the transfer system works — what’s allowed and not allowed.“I understand there’s been ongoing conversations about the interpretation of ‘medically necessary’ and payment for medically necessary and how that works in the regulations,” Copping said Friday.He said other provinces are having the same types of discussions with the federal government.“I’m looking forward to actually reviewing the letter … and then discussing it directly with Minister Duclos.”Copping acknowledged there

COVID-19.Transport Canada said the existing rules for masks will come off Oct. 1"We are able to do this because tens of millions of Canadians rolled up their sleeves and got vaccinated," Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said.Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said the negative attitudes of some passengers have made it hard for airlines and crews to enforce the mask mandate in recent months, and cited that as a factor in the decision.Government officials also confirmed Canada is dropping the vaccine requirement for people entering the country at the end of the month.

COVID-19 testing of fully vaccinated travellers will continue to be paused at all airports until mid-July, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) said on Wednesday.The Government of Canada also has extended current COVID-19 border measures for travellers entering Canada until at least Sept. 30, including the mandatory use of the ArriveCAN app.

COVID-19 testing of incoming international passengers at Canadian airports.Random testing at airports will be temporarily suspended at all airports starting on Saturday, June 11 until June 30, according to a joint statement from Transport Minister Omar Alghabra, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino and Tourism Minister Randy Boissonnault.Unvaccinated travellers will still be required to be tested on-site.The government is also announcing that, as of July 1, all testing, including for unvaccinated travellers, will be performed off-site.The news comes after federal public health officials said Friday they were looking at updating their advice to government on the random testing reuquirement.Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says the testing is not done to monitor travelers for infection, but rather as a way to measure emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 that may be making their way into Canada from other countries.“The random testing is not to detect every case.

COVID-19 testing requirement for fully vaccinated travellers, the federal government announced on Thursday.Starting April 1, vaccinated travellers won’t need to track down a COVID-19 test in the last day before their vacation ends.“Today’s announcement is encouraging, but let us remember that all measures are subject to review,” said Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, speaking to reporters Thursday morning.“We will continue to adjust them as the epidemiological situation here in Canada and abroad evolves.”Currently, all travellers entering Canada — regardless of vaccination status — have to show proof of a negative COVID-19 antigen test, taken within 24 hours of their flight or arrival at Canada’s border.As an alternative, they can show proof of a negative PCR test from within the previous 72 hours. Is Canada dropping its COVID-19 guard too quickly? Experts weigh in But starting next month, travellers who are fully vaccinated — with two doses of an approved COVID-19 vaccine — won’t have to show either.Fully vaccinated travellers might still have to undergo random testing when they arrive in Canada, but they don’t have to quarantine while awaiting their results, Duclos added.Unvaccinated and partially vaccinated travellers will be subject to a molecular test both when they arrive and again eight days later.

Almost two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, travelling is about to become less restrictive for Canadians as health officials say the peak of Omicron has subsided across the country.

COVID-19 PCR test requirements for fully vaccinated travellers at the end of the month, officials say.“Today I’m announcing we are easing our border measures,” federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said Tuesday in Ottawa. “It is time to adjust our approach.”As of Feb.

COVID-19 border measures and expect to announce changes to the rules next week, said federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos.Duclos spoke in a pandemic update alongside Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, who said the worst of this wave appears to be over.“Canada is past the peak of the Omicron wave,” Tam said, in a press conference that saw officials offering more information on a decline in cases across the country after roughly 20 to 25 per cent of the country became infected by the Omicron variant.“The worst is behind us,” Duclos added.Officials also emphasized that the highly infectious nature of Omicron means border controls have a limited impact because cases are already transmitting in Canadian communities.But they said it remains important to be aware that any changes may have to be reassessed in the event of future variants, and that the coronavirus will likely continue evolving.“Unfortunately, there may be more surprises,” said Duclos.The rapid spread of Omicron across the country began in late November 2021 and saw cases surge to record highs, sparking the imposition of tougher lockdowns in a bid to slow the spread.

Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos discussed on Monday Canada’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for truck drivers crossing the border into the country. Duclos said both Canada and the U.S.

Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos announced on Wednesday that the federal government will deliver 140 million rapid COVID-19 tests to provinces and territories this month as the Omicron variant spreads.

Canadians returning home from trips abroad regardless of length will now have to show proof of a negative PCR COVID-19 test to re-enter the country.

COVID-19 test for all travellers leaving Canada regardless of trip duration.Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos made the announcement on Friday as Canada continues to see a rise of Omicron COVID-19 infections.Duclos said the government is reinstating the requirement for a pre-arrival negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result for all travellers leaving the country for less than 72 hours, and as of Dec. 21, the requirement for pre-arrival testing will be in place again for trips of all durations.“As I announced Wednesday, the Government of Canada is advising Canadians to avoid all non-essential travel outside the country,” Duclos said.

Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said Wednesday that the federal government was officially advising Canadians to avoid non-essential travel outside Canada.

Canada is restricting travel from three more African countries and seeking guidance on COVID-19 boosters amid the emergence of the Omicron variant. 

COVID-19 and more Canadians return to their offices and other places of employment.The vast majority of federal public servants have been working from home since mid-March, during which time many have been called upon to help roll out huge new support programs for Canadians affected by the pandemic.In a message to public servants on Monday, Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos, who oversees the bureaucracy as a workforce, said the return to federal worksites would vary based on local conditions and each department’s requirements.“Re-opening access to federal worksites will be gradual and will vary from organization to organization, each according to their own operational circumstances,” Duclos said.

The federal minister responsible for public access to government information has advised his cabinet colleagues of the need for transparency and accountability “even in times of crisis.”

Speaking to reporters in Ottawa on Friday Jean-Yves Duclos, President of the Treasury Board, elaborated on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement earlier in the day that the federal government’s wage subsidy program would be extended.

President of the Treasury Board, Jean-Yves Duclos says he has “a good degree of confidence” in Canada’s ability to exit the recession created by the novel coronavirus outbreak.

The federal government says it hopes to process 90 per cent of applications for wage subsidies from employers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic by May 5.