The Commons health committee last night ordered the Public Health Agency to surrender all records regarding its mismanagement of a $300 million national stockpile of pandemic supplies. The Agency had invoked national security in refusing to disclose documents or explain why it landfilled millions of masks prior to the pandemic: “Open up, be transparent.”
Cabinet was to pay Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s favourite charity “about $20 million” to manage a national grant program. The Department of Employment yesterday would not detail terms of the sole-sourced contract cancelled following a public outcry: “It is not surprising to me they got paid.”
Taxpayers in pre-pandemic polling told the Department of Finance they were vaguely worried about federal overspending. The research was conducted only weeks before the Covid-19 recession saw cabinet run the biggest deficit in Canadian history: “If the government seemed oblivious to the deficit when the economy was doing well, what would happen when the government might have to deal with a recession down the road?”
More than a quarter of Canadian marijuana users, 26 percent, acknowledge driving under the influence. Twelve percent also admit to buying cannabis from drug dealers instead of licensed retailers, says Department of Public Safety research: “A full transition to the new market will take time.”
The Department of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it’s placing long-term orders for steel bulletproof doors at embassies and missions abroad. Diplomats would not disclose the cost, though it follows $2.5 billion in budgeted security upgrades since 2007: “I used to be in this business.”
The Commons health committee today will vote on whether to compel Health Minister Patricia Hajdu, the Prime Minister and staff to disclose documents on pandemic preparedness. Internal records show Hajdu’s department boasted it was ready for Covid-19 even after throwing away millions of masks and other supplies: “We need to get to the bottom of this.”
A grocery CEO admits he called competitors days before supermarket chains simultaneously rolled back a $2 an hour pandemic bonus for workers. One executive, Sobeys CEO Michael Medline, told MPs he was so wary of discussing wages in a teleconference with rival chains he put his general counsel on the line and refused comment. The Commons industry committee is investigating whether grocers breached the Competition Act: “It seems odd.”
Life insurance premiums may rise with enforcement of the nation’s first DNA privacy law, says the Supreme Court of Canada. The Court in a 5-4 decision Friday ruled insurers cannot compel policyholders to disclose findings of genetic test results: “Insurers may need to raise premiums overall.”
The RCMP routinely breaches the Access To Information Act that mandates disclosure of public records, says an internal audit. The finding follows complaints Canadians are “fed up” with federal concealment of documents, according to Information Commissioner Caroline Maynard: ‘Individuals have waited months, even years, to get their hands on information.’
The Department of Public Works says 38 percent cost overruns in construction estimates are “normal”. MPs have expressed wariness with the scope and expense of the largest renovation project in the country, a multi-billion dollar refit of Parliament Hill: “We’re digging a hole on the front lawn but we don’t know what’s going to be in it, and we don’t know how much it’s going to cost.”
The Commons government operations committee last night by unanimous vote ordered an investigation of federal dealings with the Prime Minister’s favourite charity. It followed new disclosures We Charity after inviting Justin Trudeau’s wife to host events in New York also paid large speaking fees to the Prime Minister’s mother and brother: “We will be very, very busy.”
Hospital records nationwide show 137 children have been rushed to emergency departments for marijuana poisoning since Parliament legalized cannabis edibles last October 17. Department of Health research says overall cannabis use among youth increased, reversing a long term downward trend before Parliament repealed a criminal ban on recreational marijuana: “I guess if it’s going to be legal it can’t be that bad.”
The Department of Foreign Affairs breached an Act of Parliament in contracting for a G7 summit in Québec two years ago, according to an internal audit. Canada’s G7 presidency cost $604.5 million including $374,679,717 spent to entertain world leaders for two days in June, 2018 in Charlevoix, Que.: “The audit team identified some areas for improvement.”
Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion yesterday dismissed allegations of cronyism in hiring at a federal tribunal. Dion did not name the tribunal that saw in-fighting over promotions: “It’s the old-fashioned favouritism.”
A labour board has upheld the firing of a warehouse foreman for using the n-word in an angry exchange with a junior coworker. The days of excusing foul language in workplace outbursts are over, ruled an Ontario arbitrator: “Times have changed.”
