The Canada Revenue Agency admits it knowingly misrepresented public data by claiming a 6 percent inaccuracy rate in answering taxpayers’ questions at federal call centres. Internal reviews showed the rate was at least 20 percent. Auditors said the actual fail rate went as high as 84 percent: “There hasn’t been an apology.”
Long-promised reforms to an Arctic food subsidy must wait another year, says Northern Affairs Minister Dr. Carolyn Bennett. The department’s own research shows Northerners don’t trust the program that costs taxpayers $78.3 million annually: “What would it look like if it actually met the needs?”
New data suggest elimination of a costly tax credit for public transit users had no impact on ridership. Statistics Canada yesterday released figures indicating ridership was stable or actually increased despite loss of the 15 percent Public Transit Tax Credit: “This was never going to work.”
The Department of Industry will not disclose if it imposed any climate test on Canadian corporations that receive millions in federal aid. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation yesterday released Access To Information records it requested indicating all emissions analysis data is “fully excluded from disclosure”.
Passengers trapped inside two grounded Air Transat flights for up to six hours must individually negotiate compensation with the company. Federal regulators yesterday fined the airline $295,000 but ruled travelers were entitled only to refunds for out-of-pocket expenses: “Where does the money go?”
The army yesterday said there is no evidence suicide rates are higher in the military than the general public. Even combat veterans who served in Afghanistan are no more likely to commit suicide than civilians, said researchers: “Our organization to some degree is a reflection of the general population.”
Lobbying Commissioner Karen Shepherd says a single lawsuit over a Liberal fundraiser threatens the viability of her entire agency. Shepherd yesterday pleaded with the Commons ethics committee for special funding to hire counsel: ‘If the office does not have the financial capacity to meet the legal challenge, future enforcement of the Lobbying Act is in jeopardy.’
A Crown lender is blaming oil prices for a 12 percent rise in loan defaults. The Business Development Bank said Prairie borrowers accounted for most credit losses: “This has a domino effect.”
MPs have amended a Pacific oil tanker ban to limit cabinet’s powers to quietly issue confidential waivers to individual shipowners. Transport Minister Marc Garneau had pledged there was nothing “sneaky” in the original bill: “It is so they’re not operating in secrecy.”
Members of the Commons ethics committee yesterday approved extra funding to clear a backlog of thousands of Access To Information Act complaints. Even more requests for help are expected under a cabinet rewrite of the Act: “There is an appetite among Canadians for having more information from their government.”
The Senate yesterday opened debate on a tax evasion bill with criticism of the Canada Revenue Agency as ineffectual and untrustworthy. One Senator complained an Agency employee called his office posing as a concerned citizen to obtain a copy of the legislation: “Canadians can’t trust them.”
The Canada Revenue Agency says promised improvements to dysfunctional call centres will not be made in time for the next tax season. Managers yesterday told the Senate national finance committee they don’t want to “make the situation worse” by updating systems this winter: “Agents are torn between answering a lot of questions.”
Cybercrime has grown 58 percent since 2014, says new Statistics Canada data. The agency yesterday said 23,996 incidents were reported to police nationwide last year, mostly involving fraud. Just 15,184 incidents were reported three years ago.
The operators of one of the nation’s most profitable toll roads have won a federal tax appeal. The government must pay $1.3 million in GST rebates to Ontario’s 407 ETR Concession Company: ‘They’ll get a nice rebate cheque in the mail.’
The Commons environment committee yesterday killed a Conservative bill that promised tax credits for owners of heritage properties. Credits for spending on restoration would have cost up to $67 million a year, according to the Parliamentary Budget Office: “We are losing heritage buildings at an alarming rate.”
