Environment Canada uses discretion in enforcing a federal ban on pollution in fish habitat, says a senior manager. A parliamentary committee questioned regulators over compliance with the Fisheries Act by nearly a thousand municipal sewage systems nationwide: ‘They have to deposit somewhere’.

Liberal MPs are joining New Democrats in demanding the Canadian Coast Guard federalize the multi-million dollar cleanup of derelict boats. Coast Guard management has warned of significant environmental costs: “There are over 600”.

Regulators count scores of train derailments in national parks, including 19 in the past three years. Cabinet said it had taken steps to mitigate risks to wildlife and endangered fish under the Species At Risk Act: “Parks Canada has engaged with CP Rail to research and understand rail transportation impacts”.

The Supreme Court for the second time in two years has ruled Parliament breached Canadians’ right to solicitor-client privilege. Justices ruled even tax auditors cannot compel lawyers to disclose confidential information: “Government has been trying to chip away at it”.

A national plan on social housing should include a program to see renters buy their own homes, says a Conservative senator. Cabinet has promised to consult Canadians on development of a housing strategy: ‘It’s a constant treadmill we’re subsidizing’.

MPs should introduce an incremental pharmacare program with subsidies for Canadians who earn the least and spend the most on prescriptions, says the Canadian Medical Association. Cabinet has already vetoed any national program as too costly: “We must do better”.

A Conservative bill to grant school boards 100 percent GST rebates is accurately costed at under $200 million a year, says the Parliamentary Budget Office. The Commons finance committee requested the research: “I know firsthand what this money would mean to our schools”.

Health department monitoring of chemicals in cosmetics is “pretty much reactive” and should be tightened, says Environment Commissioner Julie Gelfand. The Commissioner urged regulators to caution consumers that manufacturers’ ingredients are not federally tested prior to sale: “Health Canada did not regularly test”.

Cabinet faces its first Senate challenge to a major bill after lawmakers vowed to amend legislation allowing RCMP to unionize. Even the Senate sponsor of Bill C-7 described the measure as flawed: ‘It continues the paramilitary mindset of the RCMP’.

Regulators should “protect passengers” from random airport improvement fees, says the author of a statutory review of the Canada Transportation Act. Airport authorities collect millions in fees without scrutiny, said former industry minister David Emerson: “Fees have been growing with mad abandon”.

Health Canada is hiring contractors to again study the vaping market more than a year after a Commons committee voted for quick regulation of e-cigarettes. The department said research would not be examined till 2017: “We need to move on this as rapidly as possible”.

Most government employees surveyed say they fear reprisals if they disclose wrongdoing, and are “skeptical” of reforms nearly a decade after Parliament enacted a protection law. One whistleblower called the protection regime pathetic: “You’re in the wrong jurisdiction”.

The Minister of Revenue says cabinet must “humanize” the tax department, but would not commit to returning billions owed eligible pensioners who forgot to apply for benefits. Unclaimed benefits are worth $1.02 billion a year, by official estimate: “We are talking about some of the poorest, most disadvantaged people”.

The Commons last night voted 170 to 136 to pass legislation that shields Air Canada from liability over illegal job cuts. A lone Liberal MP opposed the cabinet bill: “Our first responsibility is to our constituents”.