MPs “will not be censored” in scrutinizing federal executives over management of immigration, Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner (Calgary Nose Hill) said yesterday. Her remarks followed a formal protest from a deputy minister that criticism at committee hearings made it unsafe for managers to testify: "These clips fuel anger among members of the public who then target our officials." READ MORE
Cabinet last year approved an 84 percent increase in the number of federal managers paid more than $150,000 a year, records show. It coincided with public statements by the finance minister that “these are hard times for Canadians.” READ MORE
Managers at Shared Services Canada, the federal IT department, recommended cancelling coffee breaks for a month due to Ramadan, Access To Information records show. An estimated 100 of 9,393 employees self-identified as Muslim though not all were observant: "It’s important to be respectful of Muslim colleagues who may be fasting." READ MORE
Canada Post is seeking more emergency funding from cabinet, a Department of Public Works manager yesterday suggested. MPs have speculated the post office requires another $500 million after receiving a $1.034 billion line of credit last January 24: "Given their current projections, they will likely need to have some additional support on an ongoing basis." READ MORE
Municipal development charges pose “a significant constraint to housing affordability” in some cities, CMHC said yesterday. Analysts documented mandatory fees as high as six figures: "Development charges account for a significant part of the cost of a new housing unit." READ MORE
Prime Minister Mark Carney was director of a charity, the Rideau Hall Foundation, that agreed to create tax credits for corporations whose donations were used to pay federal contractors on public works, records show. Carney yesterday did not comment: 'It was issuing tax receipts.' READ MORE
The Department of Public Safety says it is “very close” to launching a foreign registry ordered by Parliament 18 months ago, but will not set any deadline after twice skipping promised dates to begin tracking foreign agents. “We are very close,” one manager told the House affairs committee: "You need top secret clearance." READ MORE
Canadians talk about the golden age of television in the 1950s. It wasn’t that golden. It was elitist and very political. It’s a terrible thing if you become pontifical about broadcasting. To me it’s everyman’s service, and should have programming available for everyone. The idea was to keep TV small, and keep it only CBC. People weren’t allowed to watch anything else, but they didn’t want to watch. God forbid the public should be able to say, “I want that channel, not this one.”
