A Department of Finance executive who oversaw a 192 percent hike in the deficit yesterday apologized after laughing about his inability to calculate basic interest. “I don’t find it very funny,” one MP told Deputy Minister of Finance Nicholas Leswick. READ MORE
RCMP in an internal report admit mismanaging crime labs in three provinces. Service was so slow investigators were hiring private labs for testing despite the higher cost, wrote auditors: "Only 50 percent of surveyed clients were satisfied." READ MORE
Some 100,000 illegal immigrants and refugee claimants in Canada are awaiting security screening, the chair of the Immigration and Refugee Board said yesterday. MPs earlier expressed unease with months-long delays in conducting background checks: "We don’t know if they are safe to be in the country because we are waiting for a security screening?" READ MORE
The Commons industry committee yesterday voted to scrutinize cabinet’s decision to expand market access for Chinese battery electric autos and revive $5,000 rebates for American-made electric imports. The unanimous vote came after Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said she could not understand why anyone would oppose the measures: "You were against EV mandates, okay, we got rid of them." READ MORE
The Commons yesterday gave Second Reading to a private bill to name corporate tax delinquents. Conservative MP Adam Chambers (Simcoe North, Ont.), sponsor of the bill, called it “offensive to every sensible person” that the Revenue Agency quietly negotiated settlements with companies that owed millions: "Behind the cloak of secrecy officials within the Revenue Agency and the government in general are waiving millions and millions." READ MORE
Parliament should stop allowing cameras in Question Period, says a spokesperson for the Government House Leader. Canada’s Commons was the first to televise proceedings 49 years ago: "Maybe we could take away the television cameras during Question Period." READ MORE
Elections Canada is placing orders for 700,000 poll tally sheets and other balloting supplies in anticipation of the next national campaign. Cabinet has denied interest in going to the polls for a second time in two years, though one MP noted “people here are getting worked up.” READ MORE
A government agent said, “We’re taking you to Ottawa for a little experiment, wouldn’t you like that? Isn’t that great?” My parents were never asked if they thought all of this was a good idea. I did not know then how much I would grow to miss my family, and how lonely I would be. Here we had running water and store-bought clothes, bigger schools and libraries, supermarkets and suburbs. Why did the government do it? I think they honestly believed their values as a middle-class, southern, industrial society were best for Inuit. It was as simple as that.
