Blacklock's Reporter

Federal climate change regulations to be detailed in June will effectively double the price of natural gas, chemical manufacturers said yesterday. The industry based its calculations on data from the Department of the Environment: ‘It would be great to get transparency.’

Cabinet will privatize the federal agency responsible for airport security screening following years of complaints of poor service and long line-ups. Passengers should not see hikes in mandatory security fees of $15 for domestic roundtrip fares and $26 on international flights, said Transport Canada: “It is a big decision.”

Cabinet in a long-promised National Housing Strategy Act is declaring basic shelter a statutory right. Advocates had sought the designation in law: “Future governments would be essentially required to maintain ongoing support.”

Cabinet will mandate prompt payment to trades and subcontractors on most federal public works. The initiative follows the Senate’s 2017 passage of a private Conservative bill amid complaints of bankruptcy and blacklisting of contractors: “As a small business, not being paid on time is huge.”

A cabinet bill to restrict Pacific oil tanker traffic is discriminatory and should be amended or defeated, two provinces yesterday told the Senate transport committee. Critics noted the bill does not touch the majority of the country’s oil tanker shipments, in Atlantic Canada: “This has a gargantuan impact.”

A cabinet bill proposes sweeping changes to the Pilotage Act that regulates safe passage of vessels into Canadian harbours. Amendments follow a federal review that complained the Crown service is too costly: ‘Monopolies when left unchecked typically result in high prices.’

The Office of the Ethics Commissioner yesterday confirmed its acting director of investigations is sister-in-law to a Liberal cabinet minister. The Office is conducting a closed-door investigation of the SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. political scandal: “We question whether the Commissioner understands the notion of conflict.”

Federal investigators have conducted a covert sting of Bell Canada Inc. sales practices dating back eight months, Court records disclose. The Competition Bureau accuses the telecom firm of alleged deceptive marketing: “Bureau officers including myself have been the recipients of false or misleading representations.”

The Senate national security committee by a 6 to 2 vote yesterday rejected a national ban on handguns. A Manitoba senator sought to amend a current gun bill to classify 839,000 licensed handguns as prohibited weapons: “We have an opportunity to take action.”

Passenger complaints of nightmare flights aboard Sunwing Airlines Inc. have prompted a $694,500 federal penalty against the company. Sunwing had already spent $260,000 retrieving lost luggage for thousands of passengers affected by a 2018 ice storm: “Tensions began to rise in the cabin.”

Cabinet yesterday failed to meet its own commitment to empower a corporate ethics ombudsman to curb corrupt practices abroad, said the United Steelworkers. Cabinet acknowledged its appointee has few tools to penalize mining companies and others: “This looks like they wanted to check a box.”

Labour Minister Patricia Hajdu has still not decided whether to enact a Fair Wages Policy pledged four years ago, officials told the Commons. The Prime Minister in a 2015 Ministerial Mandate letter promised to set minimum hourly pay for federal contractors: ‘Employers will likely oppose it.’

The Commons will vote Wednesday on a private bill targeting “grassroots communication” by foreign-funded lobbyists. The bill’s Conservative sponsor said voters should know whether foreign groups are financing pro-carbon tax messages in the October 21 election campaign: “Canadians have a right to know.”

Cabinet has approved the private sale of a 40-foot piece of Canadiana to a New York family. The 1833 Nine Point Mile Lighthouse, oldest on the Great Lakes, will be sold by the Department of Fisheries to American cottagers: “This should belong to Canadians, for Canadians.”