Blacklock's Reporter

Cabinet staff have privately grumbled about one of the country’s largest public lenders, according to documents filed in the Duffy Trial. Confidential emails complained Farm Credit Canada was undercutting private banks by approving billions in mortgages: ‘It’s an unfair advantage’.

A former federal employee has lost a Supreme Court bid to press a defamation suit against the National Research Council. The ex-staffer sought one dollar in damages and a letter of apology after the Council distributed a report criticizing his performance: “Your boss is entitled to give their opinion”.

Health Canada is dramatically lowering indoor exposure limits to emissions from gas appliances. Regulators said most homes “rarely” exceed limits, but cautioned long-term exposure could pose risks to asthmatic children: “There is so little public education about this”.

Housing markets in three Canadian cities are rated at “high risk” by the federal mortgage insurer. The warning follows assurances from Finance Minister Joe Oliver there is no real estate bubble: ‘The rise in prices has not been matched by incomes’.

A landmark Senate committee probe that heard appeals for a sugar tax and ban on fast food marketing to children should resume after the October 19 election, says the committee chair. The year-long investigation of national obesity was suspended with the dissolution of Parliament: “There are actions that can be taken”.

Cabinet is writing more loopholes into a much-vaunted law intended to reduce government red tape. New regulations allow cabinet to bypass the law in undefined “unique or exceptional” circumstances, and give departments years to comply in ordinary cases: “We see the Act as nothing more than a public relations exercise”.

New rules granting interns the right to refuse dangerous work in federally-regulated industries will take effect September 14, says cabinet. Amendments under the Canada Labour Code apply to unpaid workers at railways, oil and gas companies, marine shipping and air transport: “Why do federally-regulated employers need access to unpaid interns?”

Natural gas firms have won 40-year terms on federal export licenses. Cabinet yesterday enacted amendments to the National Energy Board Act that previously required gas companies to reapply for permits every 25 years: “The market is quickly disappearing”.

The Canadian Press, self-described “trusted news leader”, solicited a $75,000 grant from Natural Resources Canada at the same time its reporters covered the department, records disclose. Documents obtained by Blacklock’s indicate the news agency received funding for a failed venture to compete with Google Maps, and invoiced taxpayers for time spent on the project by CP staff: “I don’t know what I could contribute on that”.

Pre-election polling by cabinet shows Canadians share a gnawing fear of recession with a large number, one-third, predicting a “significant downturn” in the economy by winter. Government focus groups rated the economy fragile, “weak” and unreliable: “This was a major source of worry”.

Regulators must act against “dangerous” unlicensed online payday lenders operating beyond the scope of federal or provincial law, says the Consumers Council of Canada. The group in federally-funded research cautioned up to a third of payday loans may now be issued by website operators: “You don’t know who you are dealing with”.

In a further sign of a slowing economy, urban housing starts in July declined 3.4 percent year over year, says the Canada Mortgage & Housing Corp. New home construction for the month – traditionally one of the busiest for starts – totaled the fewest since January: “There are legitimate fears”.

Parliament is instructing tour guides to ban all mention of the Ottawa attack that prompted passage of the Anti-Terrorism Act. Guides escorting thousands of daily visitors past the Centre Block spot where a gunman was fatally shot by police must not speak of the event even if questioned, officials confirmed: “We don’t talk about that!”

Major changes to air regulations are being postponed due to the general election. Advocates yesterday expressed frustration with the delay in amending flight crew rules for the first time since 1996: “There are a lot of good excuses — I get that”.