Flood victims suffer anxiety years after their property is damaged, says a University of Waterloo study. Researchers said lost work time and mental stress remain incalculable costs from extreme weather related to climate change: “It’s just an awful, awful experience.”
A federal anti-workplace harassment bill is unlikely to come into force until after the next election, Labour Minister Patricia Hajdu yesterday told the Senate human rights committee. Hajdu appealed to senators to quickly pass the bill without amendments: “Getting these things in place might take a year or more.”
Cabinet is quiet on the fate of its national carbon tax after 2.3 million Ontarians elected a government opposed to the levy. Conservative leaders in two other provinces with elections pending have sought intervener status in a Saskatchewan challenge of the tax: “It’s just a bad tax.”
Newly-disclosed Health Canada research shows a federal marijuana education campaign is ineffectual. Teenagers questioned by government pollsters said they assumed legalization signaled Parliament’s approval of cannabis.
“I guess if it’s going to be legal it can’t be that bad,” pollsters with Corporate Research Associates quoted one respondent in Health Canada focus groups. “Is weed really addictive?” asked another. “Pot is moving from a criminal offence to a socially acceptable activity,” said a third.
Findings were based on twelve federal focus groups with teenagers in Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Sudbury and Québec City. The health department paid $87,372 for the research Social Media Focus Groups With Youth.
“The upcoming legalization of marijuana is clearly top of mind and a topic of considerable interest to youth,” said Social Media Focus; “Some questioned where it will be purchased, and how it might interact with alcohol use.”
The report also questioned the value of Health Canada education campaigns geared to social media advertisements. Cabinet last year committed $9.2 million in annual funding for cannabis awareness ads, mainly on Facebook and other social media sites. Only a fraction of funding, some $1 million, has been spent to date though a legalization bill is awaiting final passage in the Commons.
“Ads on social media are considered an annoyance to most youth and something they try to avoid,” wrote Corporate Research. “Most do not use an ad blocker, but rather simply skip or ignore the ad whenever possible.”
“Youth do not profess to look for health-related information,” said the report; “They do not want to feel as if they are being ‘force fed’ information”; “Youth consistently expressed frustration with the high volume of advertisements on social media and, in most cases, consider them a significant annoyance. Youth are clearly cynical of ads and work to avoid or ignore them whenever possible.”
Researchers noted Canadian teenagers remain hostile to social media marketing though they use the medium constantly. “Most, in fact, keep their Smartphones close 24 hours a day, seven days a week, typically taking their Smartphone to bed with them at night,” said the report.
Bill C-45 An Act Respecting Cannabis passed the Senate June 7. The bill would permit unlimited private storage of dried cannabis, public possession of up to 30 grams, and home cultivation of up to four marijuana plants subject to local option. Two provinces to date, Manitoba and Québec, have proposed to ban home grows.
The Commons will take up the Senate’s version of the bill this week. “We feel very confident that we had a very good piece of legislation,” Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor told reporters.
By Staff 
Federal data show 1 in 4 Canadians still suffer wireless bill shock five years after regulators introduced a national consumers’ code. Research by the CRTC found many Canadians remain unaware of the 2013 Wireless Code: ‘It’s seen as a kind of entrapment.’
A federal judge has approved a $17.5 million government payout to settle a class action lawsuit by Canada Student Loan borrowers. The Department of Employment was blamed for misplacing a hard drive with personal information on 585,236 Canadians. The data loss remains unsolved: ‘It is unlikely the contents are in circulation on the dark web.’
Federal agencies should give preferential treatment to contractors with “socio-economic objectives”, says the Department of Employment. Staff launched a two-year pilot project on social procurement, but would not release the policy: ‘It leverages the government’s buying power.’
Cast-iron stoves
became standard
in 19th century America.
Over half a million produced
in 1874 alone.
Followed by the spread
of gas and electric models
in 20th century.
In 21st century Guatemala
Miranda fixes dinner
for her grandson.
Smoke fills kitchen, lungs,
stains walls, burns eyes.
A daily ritual for her
and for the three billion
who still cook
over open fire.
(Editor’s note: poet Shai Ben-Shalom, an Israeli-born biologist, examines current events in the Blacklock’s tradition each and every Sunday)
The Senate last night voted 56 to 30 to legalize cannabis. Even supporters expressed wariness over far-reaching consequences of the bill, which now returns to the Commons for final debate: “My heart still worries.”
Lobbyists are pressuring Parliament to oppose a universal pharmacare program, a Liberal MP yesterday told the Commons health committee. Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor did not comment. The committee endorsed a pharmacare plan in principle in an April 18 report: “There is a lot of pressure coming from insurance companies.”
The Department of Public Works yesterday said it has not questioned ex-deputies who oversaw the Phoenix Pay System. Members of the Commons government operations committee expressed incredulity that no managers have been held to account for the costly failure: “Well, I wasn’t there and I don’t know.”
Information Commissioner Caroline Maynard yesterday appealed for new funding to ease a heavy backlog of complaints over federal concealment of records. Maynard said her office has a backlog of 3,489 complaints and receives new requests for investigations at the rate of more than 2,000 a year: “It’s a vicious circle.”
A Senate ban on junk food advertising to children would cost industry $2 billion, a Conservative MP yesterday told the Commons health committee. Health Canada said it’s up to restaurateurs and food companies to comply with the bill if it becomes law: “This is going to be a massive cost.”
Weak federal legislation has eviscerated middle-class copyright owners, the Commons heritage committee was told yesterday. Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly promised reforms to “ensure that our artists are paid fairly for their work”, but did not elaborate: “I find this testimony very upsetting.”
Cabinet has no interest in compelling grant applicants to agree with government policy, Social Development Minister Jean-Yves Duclos yesterday told the Commons human resources committee. Records show 1,559 applicants for Canada Summer Jobs grants were rejected for failing to sign a federal oath: “It’s very important.”
