Statistics Canada is being pressed to rework its jobless rate to include rarely-reported figures that more broadly capture the state of the workplace. Analysts say the agency’s flagship unemployment number does not depict actual conditions: “It is a problem”.
Credit card issuers are being pressed on claims they’ve reneged on promises to protect customers from fraud. Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said he’d raise the issue in meetings with bank executives: ‘This goes against everything they have been telling us’.
Parliament is hiring trained counselors to help Senators and staff cope with “burnout” and other stress. Authorities confirmed 12% of people on the Senate payroll used the service last year. Legislators contacted by Blacklock’s said they had never heard of the program: “If you can’t stand the heat — “
A federal judge has cited Canada’s money laundering watchdog for improperly firing a Russian-born employee branded a security risk. The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre denied the woman Top Secret clearance after she spoke of seeing acquaintances at the Russian Embassy in Ottawa.
Canadians’ love of salsa is weighing heavily on a national trade gap in processed foods. The Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute said growing popularity of imported salsa over Canadian-made ketchup has left a widening condiment deficit: “We don’t have all the answers”.
CN Rail is suing a federal regulator and the nation’s largest agri-business over its refusal to move a rival railway’s grain cars. The case comes amid unrelated complaints of poor service across the rail sector: “It’s really terrible; their service has been lousy”.
Canada must revise regulations to restrict the sale of children’s toys found to contain arsenic, lead, cadmium and other toxins, say researchers. A study has found unsafe chemical traces in 24 metallic toys and children’s jewelry: “This needed attention a long time ago”.
Canada Post is quietly expanding doorstep service cuts to residents of another community, this time an Ontario army base, documents show. The post office has targeted 11 neighbourhoods in five provinces to become the first to lose at-home mail service: “It doesn’t make sense”.
Natural Resources Canada is paying a $150,000 grant to auto “journalists” to celebrate the fuel efficiency of new cars. Authorities said the funding is to educate everyday drivers on how to cope with high fuel prices: “This is smoke and mirrors”.
VIA Rail would be recast as an on-time national passenger service for commuters and tourists with electric locomotives in some regions, under a private bill introduced in the Commons: “It’s time to secure VIA’s role”.
Foreign Affairs Canada has lost more money in real estate. Records obtained by Blacklock’s point to a five-figure loss on a Washington, D.C. townhouse purchased six years ago: “Canadians may question any spending associated with embassies abroad”.
A British Columbia MP has won endorsements from conservation groups and the Vancouver Aquarium to put Parliament on record as endorsing sustainability of the multi-billion dollar fisheries sector: “We have years of over-fishing”.
Parliament rejected a salary disclosure bill to avoid an “inflationary” parity race for ever-higher benefits by public servants, says a Conservative MP: “Instead of keeping salaries down it has the opposite effect”.
Finance Canada must not permit foreign ownership of the country’s only government-run coal export terminal, say local authorities. The formerly deficit-ridden Ridley Terminals Inc. of Prince Rupert, B.C. projects revenues will nearly double by 2016: “This was created with taxpayers’ money”.
The Senate may summon CBC anchor Peter Mansbridge for questioning over his confidential speaking fees from lobbyists. A member of a Senate panel reviewing the Crown broadcaster said lawmakers need answers on perquisites by senior staff: ‘Is there a double standard here?’
