Cabinet has approved a 25 percent hike in stamp rates to take effect January 13. The increase was proposed by Canada Post prior to disruption of its busiest season of Christmas mailings by a Canadian Union of Postal Workers strike, now in its 27th day: "Canadians are fed up." READ MORE
There will be no recession in 2025, Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem said yesterday. The Governor added Canadians can “decide what adjective they want” to describe rising unemployment, weaker growth and declining business investment: "We’re not expecting a recession." READ MORE
Parliament has given rare passage to a private bill amending the Bankruptcy And Insolvency Act. The farmers' aid bill sponsored by Conservative MP Scot Davidson (York-Simcoe, Ont.) followed 40 years’ worth of petitions by fruit and vegetable growers: "This has been in the works for a very long time." READ MORE
MPs may call each other erratic or unhinged, Speaker Greg Fergus said yesterday. The new guidance on parliamentary language followed complaints that too many adjectives had been banned in Commons debate: "Is ‘erratic’ and ‘unhinged’ considered parliamentary language in this place?" READ MORE
Liberal Senate appointee Kristopher Wells (Alta.) yesterday denied any interest in partisan politics despite being an outspoken critic of the Conservative Party and onetime Liberal donor. Wells declined comment when asked to justify his appointment after more than a million Albertans elected other Senate nominees: "Do you know who they are?" READ MORE
A Toronto bank failed to report suspicious cash transactions including millions transferred in and out of accounts, federal regulators said yesterday. The Exchange Bank of Canada, owned by a Florida firm Currency Exchange International, is appealing its $2,457,750 fine: "The Bank did not report large cash transactions." READ MORE
The Commons last night passed a budget bill on deadline. However cabinet’s proposal for a GST holiday on Christmas goods faced unexpected protests from Liberal appointees in the Senate: "We definitely recognize we are facing challenges." READ MORE
This particular Christmas I remember we were up in bed, excited, waiting for Santa Claus. Then Mom called up the stairway: “Santa didn’t come.” Did I cry? I must have. I’ve never forgotten it. It was traumatic. But there just wasn’t any money. It was bad. I remember in 1935 Dad went down to Bonavista to form a fishermen’s union. They couldn’t give him a salary. He took payment in wood and vegetables. I remember my mother bartering. People would knock on the door and want to trade berries for clothing.
