An internal audit at one federal agency found most employees set their own hours whether they had permission or not, and supervisors did not track time worked by telecommuters: ‘New ways of working are not yet fully understood.’
A Liberal-appointed senator holds shares and stock options in a firm that received more than $3 million in direct federal subsidies including ongoing government loans, the Senate Ethics Office yesterday disclosed. Senator Colin Deacon (Independent-N.S.) could not be reached for comment. Subsidies for the company Deacon founded included a federal grant approved while he was a director, shareholder and Senator all at the same time: “I’m a big believer…”
Young couples and empty nesters will pay more in national carbon taxes than they’ll receive in federal rebates this year, the Parliamentary Budget Office yesterday confirmed. The data contradict cabinet claims that 70 to 80 percent of people would profit from rebates: “The example of the married couple is not representative of a household.”
Privacy Commissioner Daniel Therrien yesterday acknowledged he asked no questions in endorsing a 2018 program by Statistics Canada to scoop bank records on some 1.5 million people. Therrien said it was not his place to ask “this or that” when StatsCan sought his advice: “I’ll leave you with your judgment on whether I’m proactive or high energy.”
A British Columbia construction company that complained it couldn’t find workers at $29 an hour has lost a bid to hire migrant labour. B.C. has the lowest jobless rate of any province, 4.7 percent: ‘The program is to fill immediate shortages when Canadians are not available.’
A Manitoba Senator has likened Canadian reliance on oil and gas to a cocaine addiction. The remarks by Senator Murray Sinclair (Independent) coincided with cross-country hearings of the Senate energy committee on new oil and gas regulations: ‘Is it much like the fear and panic an addict feels when told his cocaine has gone missing?’
A federal agency yesterday estimated it recovers only 15¢ on every dollar owed by reckless shipowners responsible for oil spills in Canadian waterways. Scofflaws are hard to track, said managers of the Ship-Source Oil Pollution Fund: “Frankly it proves quite difficult.”
Climate change may trigger killer earthquakes in Canada, the Department of Infrastructure says in Access To Information memos. No scientific data was cited. Canadian and U.S. geologists note most major quakes occurred prior to 1965: ‘Extreme weather events can potentially trigger earthquakes.’
A federal agency today will award another subsidy to a billion-dollar corporation, Cooke Aquaculture, the nation’s largest fish farmer. The funding comes a year after the Environment Commissioner complained regulators are too close to the aquaculture sector: “Where there’s long-term funding for research, that’s to help promote the industry.”
Parliament should consider a plastic tax, says an Environment Canada report. Researchers cautioned the tax would cost consumers since plastics are found in almost every manufactured product: “Get everybody on board to collect all plastics.”
The federal cost of reviewing illegal immigrants’ claims to remain in Canada will eclipse $100 million for the first time this year, says the Immigration & Refugee Board. The agency estimated the expense of hearings since 2017 will have grown 56 percent by 2020: “You need more money because you need to hire more people.”
The Department of Public Works proposes a Greening Of Food policy affecting all contracts for military and prison meals. Suppliers would be rated on “green point” criteria: ‘Do they operate any hybrid vehicles?’
A Texas family-owned business is serving notice of a record $3 billion copyright claim against the Government of Canada. The claim for damages, largest of its kind, accuses federal agencies of driving the company to ruin by copying oil and gas exploration maps without payment or permission: “This once lucrative business was destroyed.”
The province with the highest voter turnout in Canada is today suspending its practice of telling parties the names of electors who cast ballots. The Prince Edward Island policy was ruled a breach of privacy: “It definitely wasn’t meant to be nefarious.”
Wealthy Canadians shifted billions in income to avoid a new income tax rate of 33 percent introduced by cabinet in 2016, says the Parliamentary Budget Office. Analysts said higher taxes on Top One Percenters were known so far in advance that people earning more than $217,000 a year had ample time to rearrange their tax affairs: “It may look simple on paper.”
