Parliament will consider legislation to create a special prosecutor’s office to enforce fair trade and anti-trust laws. The Competition Bureau currently refers its cases to the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, which saw a total six convictions last year: ‘Make sure the Competition Bureau has teeth.’
Cabinet amendments to the Fisheries Act “gutted” federal policies, says a scientific journal. Researchers at the universities of Dalhousie and Calgary condemned C-38, an omnibus bill now the subject of numerous Federal Court challenges: “This was rammed through.”
Hard times in the billion-dollar Atlantic lobster fishery reflect supply and demand issues that will not be easily addressed, according to an interprovincial report. A Maritime panel urged that fishermen fund joint research, promotions and marketing with a penny-a-pound levy.
Nutritionists have trademarked an “Alberta Diet” that, yes, says it’s OK to eat steaks and red meat. Industry Canada granted the trademark to university researchers in Edmonton who attempted to blend healthy eating with Prairie tastes: “It’s about portion sizes, and not having a steak every night.”
Privacy breaches of personal tax files account for nearly a quarter of all disciplinary measures against Canada Revenue employees, records show. However staff are most likely to play computer games at work, or snoop through tax returns filed by colleagues or ex-spouses, than randomly spy on individual files from strangers, according to documents.
Cabinet is legislating itself “practically unlimited” powers to redefine regulations on federal prisoners. The new measures come as Parliament struggles with a crisis in the sustainability of policing costs, according to Public Safety Canada: “We keep passing new laws.”
Ottawa must brace for environmental protest in boosting Arctic oil and mining development, according to documents. A cabinet-level memo warns of public criticism once Canada uses the Arctic Council to promote industry: “I find this reprehensible.”
Simpler regulations are being sought by cider makers who complain their product is subject to odd categorization as a wine, which it isn’t, and rules that it cannot be transported in a beer truck: “We are at a challenging state in the industry.”
The Commons finance committee is being cautioned to prepare for challenges on job training, an aging workforce and low productivity leading to what was originally forecast to be higher growth in 2014: “There is a huge public policy issue here.”
Federal inspectors plan a mammoth spot-check of grocery items in 11 cities nationwide in a hunt for “hazards” to public health.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency will hire contractors to conduct an audit of 21,545 food and drink samples to be tested at federal labs for bacteria, illegal additives and contamination. Authorities said the inspections will occur between December 1 and next September 1.
Rona Ambrose, health minister responsible for the agency, did not take Blacklock’s questions.
“The Canadian Food Inspection Agency needs to conduct surveys to determine the background levels of contamination in certain targeted food areas,” the agency reported; “Each hazard represents a survey. A hazard is a source of potential damage, harm or adverse health effect.”
However inspectors did not divulge what foods were “targeted” for suspected health violations under the Food and Drugs Act. Two items cited as examples for sampling procedures were imported organic leafy greens and a Swiss-made Lindt hazelnut chocolate bar.
“If you’re trying to assess risk to protect people, does a brand-name chocolate bar pose the same risk as lettuce picked in Mexico?” said Christopher Kyte, president of the Food Processors of Canada. “Our members already exceed minimum standards because their names are on the package. Wouldn’t you gravitate to products that are not made in licensed food plants in Canada or the United States?”
The inspection agency proposes to collect lab samples from grocery stores, “ethnic stores”, specialty food outlets, coffee and tea houses, juice bars and U-pick farms. Sampled goods include any processed food and drink products, including chewing gum, as well as dairy, eggs and meat, honey, fresh fruit and vegetables.
An industry group Food & Consumer Products of Canada noted spot checks by federal inspectors are commonplace but “this would definitely be considered a robust review.”
“It’s important to identify outlying grey market and improperly labelled products,” said Adam Grachnik, senior communications director.
The eleven cities targeted for inspection are Metro Toronto (with 6,052 food samples to be lab tested); Montréal (3,887 samples); Vancouver (3,185); Ottawa (2,407); Calgary (2,367); Québec City (1,125); Halifax (1,058); Winnipeg (450); Saskatoon (338); Kelowna, B.C. (338); and Saint John (338).
Inspectors did not explain what criteria were used in targeting cities for inspections.
“These numbers are provided as estimates only for planning purposes,” the agency said. “They should in no way be construed as final.”
The inspection agency did not say if it intended to publish the findings of its audits.
By Tom Korski 
MPs are cautioned that a vaunted crackdown on counterfeiting will see property owners pay costs and court fees while thieves “seem to be getting off scot-free”. The Canadian Anti-Counterfeiting Network told a Commons committee that Bill C-8 puts onus and expense on piracy victims who press claims against bootleggers: “Where are the perpetrators?”
Public employees must face “restructuring” if cabinet is to balance the federal budget as promised in 2015, says Treasury Board President Tony Clement. The senior minister told reporters a new round of contract negotiations with civil servants in 2014 will see strict terms: “We have to tackle the issues”.
MPs propose that a select parliamentary committee gain oversight of all federal police and surveillance agencies, including a secretive spy group that’s become one of the fastest-growing federal bureaucracies: “The necessity of this legislation has been evident for more than a decade.”
Cabinet is considering new, unspecified measures on rail safety following the Lac-Mégantic wreck that killed 47 people, says the Leader of the Government in the Senate. Opponents noted no specific new regulations were detailed in either the Throne Speech of cabinet’s first major omnibus bill: “There’s inertia somewhere.”
The Department of Public Safety cautions it faces a “crisis” on ballooning criminal justice expenses without new methods to control costs. The warning came as the Commons public safety committee resumed hearings on how to curb the expense of policing. ‘This is crucial.’
