Environment Canada has quietly issued 16 new permits to dump waste at sea since easing restrictions on disposals six weeks ago. Cabinet lifted requirements that new applications require 30 days’ notice, and expire annually: “It is unremitting”.
A federal judge in an angry ruling has dismissed false allegations of bias against the Canadian Human Rights Commission. The agency was accused of prejudice by a federal contractor who complained of unfair treatment at the Department of Public Works: “These allegations are groundless”.
The United Food & Commercial Workers in a “crazy precedent” has won a dispute with Mexico. The B.C. Labour Board rejected a decertification vote at a Mission greenhouse amid complaints of intimidation by Mexican diplomats: “I’ve never seen anything like that before”.
The Legion in a rare public protest has rebuked cabinet over secretive plans to bill the military for commemoration of selective historic milestones. The criticism follows a Senate proposal to consider stripping cabinet of planning functions for the nation’s 150th anniversary: “Let’s be transparent and lay it on the table”.
Labour leaders are bracing for final Commons debate on a Canada Labour Code bill that would see unions decertified on the votes of 40 percent of members: “There are enormous problems”.
Air Canada is trademarking its pre-war corporate identity that provoked a battle over bilingualism fifty years ago. Federal documents show the carrier is reviving its trademark for Trans-Canada Air Lines that dates from 1937: “I remember flying the Viscount”.
Health Canada confirms its probe of bee-killing pesticides will continue for several years amid apiarists’ complaints of immediate losses. The department is contracting three years’ worth of lab testing of farm chemicals already restricted by the European Commission: “Why have they let this go?”
The Competition Bureau faces demands it closely monitor prices after approving a $12.4 billion takeover of Shoppers Drug Mart Corp. by Loblaw Companies Ltd. It’s the second merger of its kind in five months: “We are very disappointed”.
The nation’s largest agri-businesses have lost a bid to overturn a Grain Commission ruling. The Crown agency won a three-year legal battle over a 00.1% margin on grain moisture: ‘You can’t measure it’.
Shippers are appealing to cabinet to try, try again on rail reforms that take farmers, manufacturers and miners into account in service regulations. It follows the failure of a bill enacted only last June that was promised to improve service: “Railways are in a monopoly position”.
The Supreme Court will hear an appeal on whether steep fines under the Income Tax Act constitute criminal sanctions. The case involves a six-figure penalty imposed by Canada Revenue over charitable tax receipts in a phantom vacation property: “It’ll be important to closely watch the case”.
Federal regulators must enact standard Canada-wide rules to protect consumers who use websites offering group discounts, says an advocacy group. The Public Interest Advocacy Centre said current consumer protection legislation is inadequate: “There are always issues”.
CMHC is hiring its own music producer in an initiative one taxpayers’ advocate described as “goofy”. The federal mortgage insurer said it will spend up to $210,000 over the next three years on a live event producer in Vancouver: ‘The guy who picks the music is going to answer to Canada Mortgage & Housing?’
The Treasury Board is being ordered to comply with a Supreme Court ruling on the right of union agents to call workplace employees. The board had initially balked at providing contact information to an Ottawa local of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers: “Even the simplest things have now become difficult”.
Canada Revenue Agency is being urged to crack down on a tax swindle that has seen individuals claim credits on phantom charitable donations. Taxpayers’ Ombudsman J. Paul Dubé reported only 47 fake charities have been stripped of their status for issuing inflated receipts under “gifting” schemes: ‘Lots of people are embroiled in these things’.
