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TORONTO — Nuclear power is essential to meeting Canada's climate-change goals, and developing portable mini nuclear reactors is a key part of that strategy, the federal energy minister said on Friday.

OTTAWA — Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne is shooting back at China's criticism of Canada's efforts to build an international alliance to free Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor from prison.

In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what's on the radar of our editors for the morning of Dec. 18 ... What we are watching in Canada ...

The largest mass immunization effort in Canadian history began Dec. 14 in Ontario and Quebec after the country received its first COVID-19 vaccine shipment over the weekend.

The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 4 a.m. ET on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2020. There are 488,638 confirmed cases in Canada. _ Canada: 488,638 confirmed cases (76,310 active, 398,412 resolved, 13,916 deaths).

EDMONTON — Animal advocates have asked the federal health minister to review a decision that allows Alberta to keep using strychnine to poison wolves in an ongoing effort to preserve caribou herds.

A Quebec judge has granted the federal government another delay in bringing medical assistance in dying legislation in line with a ruling from the province's Superior Court. This time around, Ottawa asked for — and received — until Feb.

The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020. There are 488,638 confirmed cases in Canada. _ Canada: 488,638 confirmed cases (76,310 active, 398,412 resolved, 13,916 deaths).

The latest news on COVID-19 developments in Canada (All times Eastern): 8:45 p.m.

Ontario hit a record Thursday for new daily COVID-19 cases as hospitals urged a month-long lockdown, while tougher restrictions took effect in Saskatchewan, Alberta recorded its highest death toll and a vaccine maker said vials may yield more doses t