Cabinet yesterday defended spending a larger share of government ad dollars with U.S.-owned media corporations. Canadian publishers and legislators protested the favouritism: “U.S. multinationals do not pay tax in Canada.”
A federal agency counts nearly 90,000 commercial drones in Canada, including devices used by the government for border and coastal patrols. The Library of Parliament cited concerns: ‘There are wider societal questions relating to persistent surveillance.’
Cabinet says it has no advice for drivers or equipment operators on safe use of legal cannabis. Senators yesterday questioned ministers on consequences of the legislation slated for passage by July; “I find that a bit strange.”
A private Commons bill would mandate disclosure of all corporate loans and guarantees approved by the Department of Industry. The bill’s Conservative sponsor yesterday said taxpayers require more information on subsidies: “It cannot be confidential if it is public money.”
Air Canada faces another federal lawsuit over bilingual service. The airline won a 2014 Supreme Court judgment against a francophone couple who sought $18,982 in damages over English service: “I want to be respected.”
Cabinet yesterday introduced a long-promised rewrite of the Fisheries Act that restores environmental protections limited by the previous Conservative cabinet six years ago. Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc had called the 2012 amendments an “abuse of process”.
Shippers yesterday appealed to the Senate transport committee to amend a cabinet bill on rail regulation. Senators were told the promise of more competitive freight rates should be expanded: “They are basically hog-tied.”
A federal agency yesterday calculated the price of generic drugs has declined in the past decade but remains high compared to other OECD countries. The data is the first on generic prices since the Commons rejected a proposal to negotiate a national pharmacare plan: ‘Prices have stabilized in recent years.’
Federal cannabis bills could see courts flooded with thousands of new impaired driving cases, say Access To Information memos by the Department of Justice. Police and courts will require new funding, wrote staff: “The implications for this possible impact are wide-ranging.”
The Department of Health says it will investigate whether to compel restaurateurs to publish Nutrition Fact Tables. Regulators cited a gap in federal rules that exempts restaurants from detailing the sugar, salt and fat content of prepared meals: “It gets confusing.”
New data show federal agencies for the first time are diverting more advertising dollars to U.S.-based marketers than Canadian media. The spending occurred as Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly lamented the death of local news in Canada: “It’s critical to our democracy.”
Regulators will compile a national registry of derelict vessels and act as quickly as possible to clear harbours, Transport Minister Marc Garneau yesterday told the Commons transport committee. A cabinet bill requires owners of all large ships to prove they have adequate insurance: “We want to stop the runaround.”
Health Canada expects at least 3 million smokers to quit by 2036. Staff described the target as aggressive; currently 5.3 million Canadians are casual or daily smokers: “Health Canada has no funds that go for mass media campaigns to discourage smoking.”
Transport Canada had only 141 rail inspectors on staff last year despite a pledge to go “full tilt on recruitment” after the Lac-Mégantic disaster. The department also cut its budget for mandatory training of inspectors by nearly a fifth: “This is a top priority.”
The Correctional Service is spending more than $115,000 on theatre at a women’s prison. Program funding includes puppet workshops and performances drawn from inmates’ personal stories and passions, wrote staff: “There are huge questions over the decision to fund this over other initiatives.”
