Blacklock's Reporter

Parks Canada paid more than $79,000 to rescue a lone Québec adventurer from Mount Logan including the expense of eight staff on assignment, according to Access To Information records. The agency yesterday would not say if it charged the mountaineer determined to become the first woman to climb Canada’s highest peak: “As the dust settles now I’m sure you are in the process of totaling up what the rescue cost us.”

The Department of Labour has approved dozens of exemptions to new Canada Labour Code regulations following protests from business. The new rules effective September 1 granted all federally-regulated employees, some 900,000 Canadians nationwide, new rights to refuse work without reprisal: “This interpretation is not designed to deny employees their right to file a complaint.”

Canada Post yesterday delayed disclosure of what it paid to settle a 27-year equity claim with postmasters. Financial accounts showed a $2.5 billion increase in unspecified “long term benefit liabilities” at the post office: “It is a substantial amount, I can tell you that.”

Federally-regulated employees should not routinely take time off work to walk the dog, says the Department of Labour. Staff issued bulletins explaining scores of new Canada Labour Code regulations that took effect September 1: “It’s an odd way to go about this.”

The Privy Council Office in a declassified 1982 Cold War planning guide predicted all but three major Canadian cities would suffer mass casualties in a Soviet missile attack. All others would see millions dead. “On the subject of nuclear war, public opinion is running high,” wrote staff.

A federal labour board has ordered the Correctional Service of Canada to re-hire a prison guard who fell asleep on duty. The breach was serious but didn’t warrant dismissal, said an adjudicator: “It’s tearing me inside.”

New Brunswick Court of Queen’s Bench has upheld the election of a member of the legislature by a single vote despite numerous irregularities. The Court cited instances of illegal balloting by non-residents, and one proven case of a man who voted twice: ‘It shows the vitality of our democracy.’

A Canada Border Services Agency intelligence officer obtained top security clearance despite being jailed for smuggling hashish, according to records at a federal labour board. The conviction went undetected by the RCMP for 23 years: “Well, I got myself in a very difficult spot.”

Small business advocates yesterday warned of a “tidal wave” of new regulations under the Canada Labour Code. Amendments inserted in 1,212-page budget bills passed by Parliament in 2017 and 2018 are to take effect September 1: “It’s just a confusing mess of changes.”

Air Canada has received six months’ notice to begin removing English-only exit signs aboard its aircraft. A federal judge also ordered the airline to pay damages to a francophone passenger who complained his seatbelt buckle said “lift”.

A Québec consultant cited for breach of the Canada Elections Act received nearly a million dollars’ worth of federal contracts, records show. The company yesterday agreed to pay $447,876 in penalties and costs for illegal cash donations to Liberal and Conservative Party organizers: “Activities compromised the integrity of the political financing regime.”

Unifor sought restrictions on use of a $595 million federal bailout for “failing print media”, according to Access To Information records. The union told the Department of Finance that funding should neither reward “every basement blogger” nor pay for media executive bonuses, and recommended a retired Supreme Court judge administer payouts: “Canadians will have a natural trepidation about government assistance to news organizations.”

The popularity of tax evasion schemes is prompting the Canada Revenue Agency to ramp up anti-fraud initiatives. A third of taxpayers surveyed by the Agency, 36 percent, said they’d heard of dubious plans to “reduce the amount of federal tax you have to pay”.

Health Canada in Access To Information memos has warned staff working in cannabis regulation to avoid all investments with marijuana companies. “The possibility of post-employment conflict of interest for its employees, whether willful or accidental, is high,” said one memo.

The British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal has ordered a hearing into allegations a Muslim tenant and Jewish landlord exchanged insults in breach of the province’s Human Rights Code. The Tribunal noted both sides “have a difference of opinion as to who was the culprit”.