Parliament must restrict perpetual trademarking of common phrases under an obscure Canadian law, says a Nova Scotian whose complaint prompted a 2014 private bill on the issue. The Trademarks Act allows public institutions to claim monopoly rights to everyday words: “I don’t think that is fair, not in Canada”.
Cabinet must permit public input on licensing genetically-modified foods, says an advocacy group. The appeal comes as regulators consider approving the public sale of edible engineered salmon, a Canadian first: “There is almost a total lack of transparency”.
Final introduction of electronic petitions will see hundreds of thousands of Canadians gain input on public policy, predicts the program’s sponsor. The first e-petition followed two years’ worth of study by MPs: “This is more than free speech”.
TransCanada Corp. has relied on flawed data in touting the safety of its landmark Energy East project to pile Alberta oil to Saint John refineries, claims the Council of Canadians. The group said the original assessment omitted or understated health risks: ‘An explanation is needed’.
Cabinet hopes to avert a U.S. trade war but will press retaliatory tariffs if necessary in a cross-border dispute over meat labeling, says Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland. Processors have cautioned tariffs would see Canadian pay more for food: “We’re in their corner”.
Federal agencies can copy protected works after as few as 10 years, says a government attorney. The argument came in a landmark copyright dispute that saw millions of dollars’ worth of data sold by a federal board for as little as $150: “You can still own the house, but if the rules are that after five years some refugees can move in, then those are the rules”.
The fisheries department promises improved service on funding programs to restore habitat for sport fishing. It follows 2012 changes to the Fisheries Act that advocates said put species at risk: “It is much better that you don’t screw up habitat in the first place”.
Investors remain bound by tight deadlines in working up class action lawsuits against corporations accused of sharp dealing, the Supreme Court has ruled. In a divided decision, justices agreed some limits should apply on litigation: “The limitation period will help the defendants – the corporations, basically”.
The Liberals bring back the
long-form census.
A bizarre move.
Data collected may be helpful in
poverty reduction,
transportation improvement,
employment forecasting,
immigration planning,
city investment in schools, hospitals,
and overall, allow for
evidence-based policy making.
Other than that,
do we really need it?
(Editor’s note: poet Shai Ben-Shalom, an Israeli-born biologist, examines current events in the Blacklock’s tradition each and every Sunday)
The phrase “season’s greetings” has been trademarked by a government agency in a bid that prompted experts to question misuse of the Trademarks Act. The application came under an obscure provision of federal law permitting public institutions to stake claim to trademarks without public notice: “Everybody uses that term, and no government agency should be expropriating it for their own use”.
Wait times for trucks paying cash fees at Canada-U.S. border crossings average just 5 minutes, claims a federal report. A trucking executive disputed the claim as misleading: “They were looking for very simple, black and white, cut-and-dried data”.
Environmentalists have filed a formal complaint against climate change skeptics alleging “false or misleading” claims in breach of federal law. Groups accuse two Canadian advocacy groups and a Chicago-based think tank of deceptive representations: “This would appear to go against the very essence of the Charter of Rights”.
The navy is awarding a sole-sourced, six-figure contract to a U.S. firm to install cellphone detectors on Canadian vessels. The defence department justified the contract as “pivotal” to security: ‘It’s up to the government to justify this’.
The Canadian Coast Guard disrupted shipping and crew schedules to “accommodate” Peter Mansbridge and a CBC-TV News crew videotaping a government special, newly-released records show. An icebreaker and helicopter were put at CBC’s disposal in 2012, while a companion research ship ordered a scientist off board to make room for TV staff: ‘We’re very eager to have CBC on board’.
Cabinet will scrutinize foreign investment in urban real estate markets, says Finance Minister Bill Morneau. The Minister would not say if a previous Conservative review of legislated curbs on offshore speculators will be revived: “I’m going to stay on top of it”.
