The Department of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it knows of 123 Canadians detained in Chinese prisons including two on death row in the People’s Republic. MPs expressed frustration as staff invoked the Privacy Act in refusing to detail the cases: “It shouldn’t take a crisis for people to get basic information.”
Hoteliers yesterday petitioned the Commons finance committee to impose a $100 million tax on Airbnb. The industry complained website rentals pose unfair competition to hotels, motels and resorts that must pay federal tax: “The hosts are running a business.”
Finance Minister Bill Morneau yesterday said cabinet is ready to ‘roll up its sleeves’ on the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion project. The Federal Court of Appeal yesterday rejected a challenge by six Indigenous groups of federal licensing for the oil pipeline: “Do you expect backlash?”
Senators yesterday expressed unanimous approval to again suspend Senator Lynn Beyak without her $153,900-a year salary for conduct unbecoming a legislator. A formal vote expected as early as this afternoon will make Beyak the first senator in Canadian history to be suspended twice: “Racism has no place within the institution of the Senate.”
A federal agency, the National Capital Commission, confirms a case of office bullying so severe it prompted a complete review of its Code Of Conduct. A private investigator was hired in the case: “Employees constantly strive to achieve excellence.”
The Department of Finance yesterday acknowledged taxpayers will see cost over-runs on the Trans Mountain Pipeline. “Costs tend to go up over time,” Associate Assistant Deputy Finance Minister Evelyn Dancey told the Commons finance committee. “I would not be surprised if that’s the direction based on the delays and so on.”
Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault yesterday distanced cabinet from a federal report recommending the licensing of internet news media. “Who should have a license?” asked a reporter. “We will have to wait until I table the bill,” replied Guilbeault.
Federal regulators have privately polled Canadians on whether to charge companies for clean-up of plastics. In-house focus groups commissioned by the Privy Council Office asked: ‘How would you feel about legislation to make companies responsible for damage?’
Federal agencies hiked pre-election advertising last year by 49 percent, says a Treasury Board report. Spending on Canadian newspaper and magazine ads increased but remains a fraction of ad buys with Facebook, Google and other U.S. social media corporations: “It seems to be going south.”
The Department of Health has spent $3.1 million to date on an unannounced pharmacare plan, according to records. Most spending went for production of a 2019 report that recommended Parliament offer free life-saving medication like cancer drugs by 2022: “These figures are approximations.”
Federal anti-trust investigators have opened a mammoth probe of the nation’s largest farm chemical manufacturers accused of targeting a start-up discounter. Records in the case include an email from a Winnipeg executive with Univar Canada Ltd. who wrote suppliers: “If anyone thinks socialism is going to feed the world just call Russia.”
A federal tax cut billed as significant savings for middle-class Canadians is worth $90 this year, the equivalent of $1.73 a week, says the Parliamentary Budget Office. Prosperity Minister Mona Fortier suggested taxpayers use the proceeds to buy food: “Buy healthy food, send kids to camp.”
The Senate ethics committee recommends Senator Lynn Beyak be suspended again for talking back in sensitivity training class. Beyak was awarded an Indigenous Awareness certificate but remained a poor student, said an instructor: ‘I want to move forward and not be stuck in the past.’
Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson has told department employees to lead by example on plastic waste by boycotting bottled water. Records show other federal departments bought water by the caseload: “More needs to be done within government.”
The Department of Justice has hired consultants at $166,337 to conduct internal “violence risk assessments” among staff. Attorney General David Lametti told the Commons the investigations involved lawyers’ offices in two cities: ‘There was a workplace violence complaint.’
