The Commons industry committee will vote to hold hearings on development of a national steel policy. Steelmakers blame cheap state-subsidized imports and weak procurement policies for Canada’s declining share of world production: “Is Canada going to be in steel?”
Anti-spam legislation has failed to combat malicious emails, MPs yesterday told hearings of the Commons industry committee. A statutory review of the 2014 law is expected to result in amendments: “Everybody has told us it is way too broad.”
The Federal Court of Appeal has ruled union organizers have no automatic right to hold jobsite walkthroughs or meetings during business hours. The ruling followed complaints from a Health Canada manager that discussion of union business made staff “emotional” and talkative.
The Department of Natural Resources has completed a confidential analysis on potential “negative economic impacts” of the national carbon tax on forest products companies and other sectors. Staff yesterday would not release the study. Forestry mills put costs at up to $275 million a year: “For some mill operators it will have a significant impact.”
The Department of Public Works proposes to waive prosecution of corporate criminals as too costly and time-consuming. Federal agencies earlier dismissed sanctions against Canada’s largest engineering firm for offshore bribery and illegal campaign contributions: “I don’t want a bureaucrat to simply be able to cut a deal behind closed doors.”
New Environment Canada regulations on a common coolant will cost supermarkets, appliance distributors and foam manufacturers the equivalent of $100 million a year. Cabinet yesterday served notice the greenhouse gas rules will take effect in 2018: “Upfront costs would be incurred in some cases.”
The RCMP yesterday told a Senate committee that privacy breaches are not a police matter. Research by the Privacy Commissioner concluded Canadians want to see penalties for the loss, theft or unauthorized use of personal information: “While unfortunate, it’s not necessarily a crime.”
Cabinet says it will rewrite an Access To Information bill dubbed regressive by MPs and the federal Information Commissioner. The bill tightens disclosure of public records despite a 2015 Ministerial Mandate promise to make documents open by default: “You promised to be different.”
A Yellowknife court has awarded a $50,000 judgment for defamation in the case of an office hoax over a Smurf cartoon. Two staffers of a Tribal Council were fired over the 2015 incident: “Damages must reflect the harm done.”
The Commons last night rejected a motion to negotiate a national pharmacare program with provinces. MPs dismissed the proposal by a vote of 246 to 43: “There are a lot of moving parts.”
Liberal MPs are questioning the effectiveness of a federal anti-spam law. Members of the Commons industry committee yesterday heard complaints the 2014 regulations pester legitimate business without curbing malicious emails from foreign spammers: ‘I’m wondering about the efficacy of the whole exercise.’
Unifor yesterday appealed to MPs to amend a cabinet bill exempting train crews from federal privacy law. The legislation, sought by crash investigators, mandates installation of video and voice recorders in locomotives: “It’s going to hurt.”
The Department of Finance says a Conservative bill offering tax credits to restore heritage buildings would merely subsidize corporations and wealthy homeowners. The bill, endorsed in principle by MPs, would cost $55 million a year: “Their default position is always ‘no’.”
The Canada Revenue Agency is seeking confidential records as part of an international probe of alleged tax evasion through Israel’s largest bank. Auditors filed Federal Court applications seeking client information at the Royal Bank, the Bank of Montreal and Toronto Dominion: ‘The Minister seeks verification.’
Cabinet yesterday defended spending $212,234 on photos and artistic themes for its 2017 budget. The Department of Finance said the work was intended as a fresh, creative way of explaining its annual spending plans.
“This fresh, new digital creative material continues to be a key part of outreach to Canadians, and how the government informs them about changes that could have a major impact on the way they make decisions,” wrote staff. Details of the spending with the McCann ad agency were obtained through Access To Information.
Images used on the cover of the March 22 budget Building A Strong Middle Class depicted models hired to illustrate budget themes, including a schoolgirl playing an air guitar that was intended to depict “fairness”, according to staff memos. “Very dynamic shot, lots of potential,” wrote one staffer. “Love the little girl with the guitar. I think that’s our winner for the largest cover shot!” said another.
The department said the photos would be “repurposed for various communications initiatives”, but did not explain. “In addition to the budget cover, photos were used for the budget website, budget documents, social and digital media, as well as a paid internet campaign,” staff told Blacklock’s.
MPs yesterday questioned the expenditure in Commons Question Period. “$200,000 for a book cover,” said Conservative MP Alupa Clarke (Beauport-Limoilou, Que.); “$200,000 for a piece of paper.”
Conservative MP Mark Strahl (Chilliwack-Hope, B.C.) noted total spending on budget art in the past two years, including photo and talent fees for models, surpassed $388,000. “Even this finance minister and this Prime Minister can appreciate $400,000,” said Strahl. “That represents a downpayment on a French villa or half a Mercedes Roadster. How can the Liberals justify sticking taxpayers with $400,000 for two years’ worth of budget cover pages?”
Liberal MP Joël Lightbound (Louis-Hébert, Que.), parliamentary secretary for finance, said total spending on budget promotions was less than in past years. “I just want to remind everyone that the previous government spent millions on flashy television advertising to promote and brand itself,” said Lightbound. “They spent twice as much as we have.”
“We are taking a much more focused approach, which is very responsible with the public purse,” said Lightbound. “That is precisely what we did with the last two budgets.”
Total ad spending peaked at $136.3 million in 2010, according to Treasury Board’s Annual Report On Government Advertising Activities. Spending in the 2015-16 fiscal year totaled $42.2 million, but only because of a three-month election campaign. Government ad buys are restricted in campaign periods.
No data for 2016-17 have yet been released. The previous Conservative cabinet illustrated its annual budget with stock photos sold through commercial distributors for $150 to $600.
By Staff 
