Millionaire ArriveCan supplier Kristian Firth yesterday named names of federal managers he met over meals and drinks to discuss lucrative contracts. Firth’s disclosures followed his summons to the bar of the House as the first federal contactor in 111 years to be cited for contempt of Parliament. Firth said his company GC Strategies Inc. of Woodlawn, Ont. “could have been stopped” at any time as it billed $19.1 million for the ArriveCan project. READ MORE
A federal contractor’s summons yesterday to the bar of the House of Commons was the first punishment of its kind since 1913. The last contractor named and shamed by MPs was jailed for months as a “prisoner of Parliament.” READ MORE
Cabinet has a “lot of details that we need to work out” in its latest housing plan, Housing Minister Sean Fraser said yesterday. The plan reiterates CMHC figures suggesting Canada would have to triple annual housing starts to attain affordability: "Details need to be worked out." READ MORE
Any federal employees who leaked secret memos on Chinese interference must be “identified and prosecuted,” says Liberal-appointed Senator Yuen Pau Woo (B.C.). The Senator made the demand in a submission to the Commission on Foreign Interference made public yesterday: "Why have the leakers not been identified and prosecuted?" READ MORE
The next Census will include new questions on “couple relationships” outside marriage and common law, Statistics Canada said yesterday. It follows the first-ever collection of Census data on “gender diversity." READ MORE
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland yesterday proposed billions in new mid-term deficit spending at rates up to 95 percent higher than forecast only a year ago. Freeland revised all deficit projections upwards despite writing in her budget document that “it would be irresponsible and unfair to pass more debt to the next generation.” READ MORE
A federal ethics investigation of a Department of Industry board will be finalized within 90 days, the Commons ethics committee was told yesterday. Records show then-Industry Minister Navdeep Bains ignored repeated warnings in appointing a Liberal Party donor with a known conflict: "Have you uncovered any element of criminality?" READ MORE
Once I had a specific idea of what parenthood would be like. I was competitive as a young man, and was sure when my wife Debi and I had children I’d teach them to compete: I’d build a backyard rink and devise fun drills and help them make it to the NHL. Instead I learned about compassion. At 18 months Jaden was babbling constantly, but never formed words. The pediatrician said, “He’s a boy – he’ll grow out of it.” If I saw a boy like Jaden now, I would know within minutes he had autism.
