The Department of Canadian Heritage in an Access To Information memo confirms a steady decline in CBC ad revenues since the loss of Hockey Night In Canada profits. It contradicts earlier CBC claims that loss of hockey licensing cost the network only a “few dollars”.
The national pay equity gap has narrowed to 87¢ with men and women in one province at parity on hourly wage income, Statistics Canada said yesterday. Women achieved higher pay and better education in the past twenty years but typically still earn less than men: “I was a victim.”
The chair of the Senate budget committee has resigned as director of Telus Communications, a federal contractor. Senate rules allow public office holders to serve on the boards of federally-regulated corporations: “A senator may own securities.”
A Conservative Party proposal to eliminate admission fees at national museums would cost $20 million next year, says the Parliamentary Budget Office. Similar free admission at national parks cost Parks Canada $53.8 million but boosted attendance by nearly half a million people: “We try to think of what is a responsible amount.”
A Crown bank has introduced a generous Incentive Pay Program that sees eligible employees get bonuses nine years out of ten, according to Access To Information records. Export Development Canada would not disclose how much it paid to senior staff: “It’s ridiculous.”
Federal regulators will not release a scientific report expected to prove one of Canada’s longest-running renewable energy projects is harmful to the environment. Access To Information records indicate cabinet ordered a report eighteen months ago into the Annapolis Tidal Plant: “Concerns have been raised.”
The Canadian Press has filed a $50,000 federal lawsuit against a realtor for alleged copying of news photographs without payment or permission. One federal survey found copyright theft is now so common more than one in four Canadians admit to illegally downloading material off the internet: “In a business environment without penalties, everyone would steal cars.”
A Canada Revenue Agency employee fired for claiming sick days when he wasn’t sick has been ordered re-hired with back pay and benefits. The offence was relatively “trivial”, said the Public Sector Labour Relations & Employment Board: ‘He expressed some remorse.’
There is water
on planet k2-18b,
110 light-years away
in the Leo constellation.
A year is short,
only 33 days.
With 10 statutory holidays,
life could not be better.
No crime.
Sea level does not rise.
Energy is plentiful and renewable.
Would have been perfect,
if not for an old photo
introduced just before election,
showing their beloved leader
in a school party
wearing green makeup,
celebrating Martian Nights.
People reacted in disbelief.
The opposition smelled blood.
Social media exploded,
triggering a shockwave
that reached far beyond their galaxy.
Which is how NASA discovered them.
(Editor’s note: poet Shai Ben-Shalom, an Israeli-born biologist, examines current events in the Blacklock’s tradition each and every Sunday)
Conservative Party organizers yesterday declined questions on their use of a photo depicting Chicago commuters to criticize federal infrastructure spending. The photo was altered to remove an American reference: “Our position is very clear.”
Average pay of $100,000 or more with overtime is now typical for many police departments nationwide, Statistics Canada yesterday reported. New data follow a Department of Public Safety report that warned policing costs are unsustainable and hard to justify: “I’m paying a $92,000-a year cop to stand on a corner directing traffic at a construction site.”
The Conservative Party in an all-Catholic election debate last night pledged to end an oath for Canada Summer Jobs funding. A requirement disqualifying applicants who refused to support reproductive rights prompted numerous lawsuits: “We expect our voices to be heard.”
Disgruntled Sunwing Airlines Inc. passengers in complaints to federal regulators detailed nightmare flights that cost the carrier a $694,500 penalty. Hundreds of pages of complaints were released through Access To Information by the Canadian Transportation Agency: “Babies are crying and adults are losing their minds.”
Casual workplace needling like “you’re on thin ice” is not a breach of human rights law per se, a British Columbia tribunal has ruled. Negative remarks aren’t necessarily discriminatory, wrote an adjudicator: “I can’t run a business like this.”
A $997,000 federal program to promote cybersecurity by small business flopped with focus groups, says in-house research by the Department of Industry. Consumers and business owners questioned the government’s expertise given its own large-scale security breaches: “Enough regulations.”
