Insurers are monitoring Health Canada’s planned privatization of medical marijuana production following a court judgment on stolen cannabis.
Judges dismissed a homeowner’s claim for full replacement costs of stolen marijuana plants as too peculiar to qualify as personal property: ‘This is a new business’.
A federal panel has cited a drug manufacturer for overcharging on medicine for multiple sclerosis patients. The Patented Medicine Prices Review Board complained of a 20% price hike over seven years: “What do you know?”.
Cabinet is being pressed to release the text of a South Korean trade pact that industry groups say holds promise and peril for Canadians. The treaty lowers tariffs on forestry, farm and fish products, but gives Korean manufacturers greater market access on autos and appliances, and allows Korean bids on federal contracts over $100,000: “The devil’s in the details”.
Natural Resources Canada is attempting to find some industrial use for tens of thousands of ash trees devastated by an Asian beetle. Researchers will run tests to determine if dead trees can be converted into fertilizer, or fuel for thermal power plants: “There is a potential market”.
Fishermen are closely watching an April deadline for permanent adoption of a policy on owner-operators that promotes independent harvesters. It follows a 2012 scare that the Department of Fisheries would permit processors to buy up licenses: ‘That is extremely worrisome’.
A company that won Environment Canada approval to grow made-in-the-lab salmon is now applying to have its engineered fish certified as good enough to eat — a Canadian first: ‘This is happening in total secrecy’.
Mutual funds are “failures” for RRSP savers, says an advocacy group. Economists calculated many individuals cannot hope to match the returns of the $201 billion Canada Pension Plan: ‘It isn’t working’.
Cabinet faces complaints over the rollout of new public works subsidies that’s left municipalities and contractors with few details only days before the program’s launch. The New Building Canada Fund pledges details will follow April 1: “How can they plan?”
Dairy farmers are fending off a proposal by the Conference Board to wind up their national supply management program. Farmers acknowledged Canadians pay 30% more for milk than Americans, but pointed to the economic impact.
Senators are proposing changes to the National Do Not Call List, citing complaints that telemarketers continue to flout the program. An Alberta senator quoted one constituent who gets up to 20 calls a week including Sundays: “It’s nothing less than harassment”.
Oil and chemical corporations will be asked to sponsor facilities at national parks, secret documents show. Parks Canada staff propose to sell naming rights, but privately warned of public protest: “Alberta’s oil patch is ready to take off again; it is probably great timing to get our national park-corporate partnering ducks in a row!”
The Senate banking committee will investigate Bitcoin, the pseudo-currency swapped by speculators on internet exchanges. Senators expressed bafflement over the fad and cautioned Bank of Canada regulations may be needed: “We find Bitcoin perplexing”.
All parties but the Greens are endorsing a bill to restrict media and activists from within nearly two kilometres of Canada’s Atlantic seal hunt. The legislation follows much-photographed protests by Paul McCartney and Brigitte Bardot.
Lumber mills, fertilizer makers and other shippers are questioning a cabinet order that gives priority rail service to farmers. The ad hoc order compels railways to carry more grain: “We can’t ship our products”.
Chemical makers are disputing claims bee colonies are being killed off by farm pesticides. CropLife Canada said the nation’s bee population is at historic highs, contradicting reports of devastating losses: “These are Statistics Canada numbers”.
