The cross-country scramble for workplace masks and face shields is a national embarrassment, the United Steelworkers yesterday told the Commons finance committee. MPs complain they’ve been unable to get data on equipment shortages as more Canadians return to work: “We can’t produce our own equipment?”
Cabinet yesterday vetoed farmers’ call for billions in pandemic relief in the first sign of a slowdown in deficit spending. The Department of Agriculture pledged $252 million in aid, almost half of it already announced. Cabinet by comparison earlier pledged twice as much, $500 million, to support arts and culture: “It’s a crumb.”
An obscure federal regulatory change marks the formal end of a 103-year tax tradition, the ink signature. The Canada Revenue Agency has allowed tax preparers for the first time to submit clients’ returns with electronic endorsements: “We’re in this very unique and extraordinary period of time.”
Federal relief for commercial landlords will cost $2 billion by June 30, the Department of Finance said yesterday. Subsidy programs are now expected to increase the national debt to $1 trillion: “The amount being spent by the government is staggering.”
A third of people were buried in debt even before the recession, the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada said yesterday in newly-released survey data. Researchers cited “increasing financial stress” for millions before the pandemic shutdown.: “27 percent say they borrow to buy food.”
Pandemic contracts awarded by cabinet must be disclosed publicly after taxpayers were misled on terms of a $5 million award to Amazon, Opposition Leader Andrew Scheer said yesterday. The Department of Public Works admitted it is paying commercial fees to Amazon for managing orders of pandemic supplies after publicly claiming the company agreed to waive all profits: “Those days are over.”
Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau says departmental research on the cost of the carbon tax is top secret and will not be shared with Parliament or the public. Growers have complained of a $100 million cost on fuel used for grain drying: “This document is secret.”
Thousands of unsold farm animals may have to be euthanized without pandemic relief, farmers last night told the Commons industry committee. The Canadian Federation of Agriculture is seeking $2.6 billion in federal aid due to trade disruption and restaurant closures: “What will happen to these animals?”
Public Works Minister Anita Anand misled Canadians over confidential terms of a contract with Amazon to distribute pandemic supplies. Claims that Amazon is working without profit were less than half true, staff acknowledged. The admission came after Anand’s deputy minister blurted out terms of the contract at a Commons committee hearing: “No costs – I’m sorry, no profits for the first few months.”
Air travelers face fifty percent hikes in surcharges without further federal relief, says the Canadian Airports Council. The Council chair, testifying by videoconference from a vacant departure lounge in Halifax, told the Commons finance committee it will take “many years” for airports to recover from the Covid-19 crash: ‘The last thing we want to do is increase our fees.’
Federally-regulated employees have a right to refuse work without a mask if exposed to the coronavirus, says the labour department. MPs on the Commons human resources committee accused the department of being slow to enforce the order: “We would investigate.”
Employers are using offers of federal wage subsidies to roll back union benefits, a New Democrat MP told the Commons human resources committee. The labour department said it was unaware of any incidents: “They’re threatening the unions.”
Jobless students may apply for pandemic relief grants within two weeks, Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough told the Senate. A million students are expected to draw benefits, prompting senators to question the program as a giveaway: “I admit this is not a perfect system.”
Parliament in seven weeks has spent more than it did to fight the Second World War, new data show. The Parliamentary Budget Office yesterday blamed multi-billion dollar cost overruns on pandemic relief programs: “We cannot afford not to.”
Restrictions on pandemic loans to small business are intended to target mob fronts, the Commons finance committee was told yesterday. Legitimate operators have complained of being disqualified from federally-guaranteed loans over technical requirements: “It provides protection against abuse by organized crime.”
