Trudeau touts 'real progress' on pharmacare, calls on premiers to start cutting deals
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is calling on provinces and territories to start negotiating pharmacare deals as soon as possible.
Two people were killed and nine others were injured Monday afternoon when a who were walking beside a road in the eastern Quebec town of Amqui, police said.
Provincial police spokeswoman Sgt. Helene St-Pierre said the 38-year-old driver, a local resident, turned himself in to police immediately after the crash and was arrested under suspicion of committing a fatal hit and run.
Police said later Monday the accused was facing murder charges in connection with the deaths.
"For now, the investigation tends to show that the collision was a voluntary act committed by the suspect," St-Pierre said late Monday evening.
She said the two people killed were both men, one in his 60s and the other in his 70s. Among the injured, three suffered serious injuries and were in critical condition and six others were being evaluated for non-life-threatening injuries, she said.
Regional health authorities in the Lower St-Lawrence region confirmed six of the injured were transported by plane to a Quebec City hospital.
Provincial police would not discuss a possible motive behind the incident.
Alain Gilbert, a truck driver, said he was driving into Amqui when an ambulance raced past him before almost immediately pulling over to attend to a person lying on the sidewalk.
As he drove, Gilbert saw more ambulances and more people on the ground -- about four or possibly five people spread over a distance of about 500 metres, he believes.
He saw a police officer performing CPR on one person lying on the ground. "(That person) seemed to be in very bad shape," he said in a phone interview. He said there didn't appear to be any children in the group.
The incident happened just after 3 p.m. along St-Benoit Boulevard in Amqui, about 350 kilometres northeast of Quebec City.
St-Pierre said investigators and accident reconstruction experts are working to establish the circumstances of the crash. "Everything indicates it was an isolated incident, and that there is no more danger in the area, and there is just one suspect," she said.
A spokesperson for the regional health board confirmed a code orange had been declared at the Amqui hospital, which normally indicates a disaster situation or one with a high number of casualties.
Both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Quebec Premier Francois Legault responded with concern to the reports of serious injuries.
"As we learn more about the tragic events that have taken place, I'm keeping everyone affected in my thoughts," Trudeau wrote on Twitter. "And to the first responders: Thank you for acting quickly, courageously, and professionally."
Legault, also on Twitter, wrote: "All my thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones. Thank you to the first responders on the ground."
Pascal Berube, who represents the region in the provincial legislature, said he was going to the scene and would not be present at the legislature on Tuesday. Public Security Minister Francois Bonnardel said he would also be heading to the scene.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 13, 2023.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is calling on provinces and territories to start negotiating pharmacare deals as soon as possible.
If you are one of the millions with heart disease, you have a higher risk for future dementia, according to the American Heart Association.
Whether you're looking to pay off debt, save for a big purchase, or simply give yourself greater financial stability, personal finance contributor Christopher Liew shares some of the best ways to boost your income.
Florida residents repaired damage from Hurricane Milton and cleaned up debris Friday after the storm smashed through coastal communities and tore homes to pieces, flooded streets and spawned a barrage of deadly tornadoes.
Quebecer Stephan Perreault and his team of linemen have been helping restore power in North Carolina since Hurricane Helene hit in late September, and they don't expect to be heading home any time soon.
The superintendent of the Winnipeg School Division (WSD) has apologized over a message displayed during a professional development day on Wednesday.
Donald Trump has vowed to renegotiate the USMCA free trade agreement with Canada and Mexico.
When Netflix鈥檚 hit show 'Emily in Paris' revealed at the end of season four that its lead character was heading to Rome, it caught many viewers by surprise. Now, French President Emmanuel Macron has waded into the conversation.
The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded Friday to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese organization of survivours of the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, for its activism against nuclear weapons.
There was an eye-catching mix of rainbows and lightning over Vancouver following a brief downpour this week.
Jeff Warner from Aidie Creek Gardens in the northern Ontario community of Englehart has a passion for growing big pumpkins and his effort is paying off in more ways than one.
Saskatchewan鈥檚 Jessica Campbell has made hockey history, becoming the first ever female assistant coach in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Have you ever seen videos of hovercrafts online or on TV and thought, 'Wow, I wish I could ride one of those.' One Alberta man did, and then built his own.
A B.C. couple is getting desperate 鈥 and creative 鈥 in their search for their missing dog.
Videos of a meteor streaking across the skies of southern Ontario have surfaced and small bits of the outer space rock may have made it to land, one astronomy professor says.
A unique form of clouds made an appearance over the skies of Ottawa on Sunday evening.
Bernie Hicks, known as the 鈥楤atman of Amherst,鈥 always wanted to sit in a Batmobile until a kind stranger made it happen.
Bubi鈥檚 Awesome Eats, located on University Ave West took to social media to announce the closure on Friday.