A Supreme Court ruling that expands the scope of workplace injury claims beyond a scientific standard of proof will benefit thousands of Canadian employees, say analysts. The Court upheld benefits claims by British Columbia lab workers diagnosed with breast cancer: “It’s very difficult to get compensation for those who develop life-ending illnesses”.
Health Canada has quietly passed amendments to drug laws that permanently ban all commercial production of opium. The initiative appeared to target a single company, endorsed by Alberta’s NDP government, that sought to grow opium poppy for pharmaceuticals: ‘It was establishing the groundwork to create a poppy industry in western Canada’.
The honourable premier had a nightmare:
His chief advisor could no longer advise him.
Waking up in sweat,
he realized this was a dream:
His iPhone was still next to him, ready as always
to answer his question:
“Siri, how shall I handle today’s crisis?”
(Editor’s note: poet Shai Ben-Shalom, an Israeli-born biologist, examines current events in the Blacklock’s tradition each and every Sunday)
The Supreme Court in a far-reaching judgment today expanded the legal standard on workplace health and safety liability. The ruling came in the case of British Columbia lab employees who suffered a mysteriously high rate of cancer though no “causal” link to workplace conditions was proven: ‘It was ordinary common sense’.
The defence department is hiring contractors to count more than $7 billion worth of warehoused inventory. It follows an audit that cited the military for sloppy stocktaking while major retailers have used electronic tracking for decades: “There is a general in charge of boots and another in charge of uniforms”.
Regulators have rejected a challenge of airline surcharges by an unhappy Air Canada customer. The three-year protest included an unsuccessful appeal to cabinet: “I am ready to throw in the towel”.
Naturopaths have lost a bid to challenge Health Canada regulations at the Supreme Court. Justices declined to hear the claim Parliament has no right to regulate natural products that promise medicinal benefits: ‘This was an appallingly bad idea’.
CBC News Network last year earned half the profits of its nearest private TV rival with six times the staff, according to new data. The Crown broadcaster’s specialty service, the longest-running all-news cable channel in the country, had an audience market share of 1.6 percent after 27 years on the air: “We’re so much more relevant”.
The labour department has partially repealed restrictions on migrant hiring by longtime employers. The initiative came six weeks after an industry group appealed for “stopgap measures” to ease worker shortages: “This is a prudent step”.
Air Canada has apologized after airport check-in staff badgered a Pakistani-born senator over her right to take a paid seat in business class. Senator Salma Ataullahjan (Conservative-Ont.) said she knew of similar incidents involving legislators: “I’ve spoken to other minority senators and they all feel the same. We have experienced this”.
A cabinet pitch to raise billions in Canada Pension Plan premiums and benefits faces scrutiny by the Senate banking committee. The committee chair yesterday said senators will consider drafting a Senate motion to investigate the proposal: “This came out of nowhere”.
Senators amid protests of Air Canada “bullying” yesterday passed a cabinet bill shielding the airline from liability over illegal 2012 job cuts. The Senate dismissed Liberal amendments that would have bound Air Canada to promised terms of privatization: “They should be ashamed of themselves”.
A Senate committee in defiance of cabinet has unanimously endorsed a bill for independent oversight of the Canada Border Services Agency. The bill’s sponsor cited a profiling incident in appealing for appointment of an inspector general: “I get letters and emails from people who have had tough times at the hands of CBSA agents”.
Canada Post is attempting to strip pension benefits in a bid to escape billions in liabilities, says the Canadian Union of Postal Workers. The union yesterday said post office management in confidential contract talks proposed to rewrite benefits terms: “Workers would have no guarantee there pension would actually be there”.
Alberta wildfires that forced evacuation of Fort McMurray left an environmental legacy that may threaten water quality for years, says a University of Waterloo researcher. Scientists are examining the impact of the 6,000-sq. km. fire on the Athabasca River: “This will create an ongoing challenge”.
