The Commons has passed a bill to observe Pope John Paul II Day. MPs endorsed the private Conservative measure by a 217 to 42 vote. MP Wladyslaw Lizon, sponsor of the bill, said he hoped for speedy passage in the Senate in time for observance next April 2, the anniversary of John Paul II’s death: “I would like to see this enacted as soon as possible.”
VIA Rail should be managed by Parliament not cabinet, says an independent MP. Bruce Hyer proposed the Commons enact Amtrak-style legislation to “depoliticize” passenger rail service. VIA’s operating deficit hit 33.5¢ per passenger mile last year: “We have no vision, we have no strategy, we have no legislation.”
Canadian employers who hire foreign migrants face surprise visits and spot audits by the Department of Citizenship, including workplace raids without a warrant. Employers who hire nannies are exempt, though live-in caregivers account for half the applications for Temporary Foreign Worker permits.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars promoting media scrutiny of government — overseas. Foreign Minister John Baird’s office declined comment on why it gave cash grants to foreign journalists, referring Blacklock’s questions to department staff which also refused comment.
Inflation figures may be misleading due to outdated calculations on the cost of living, according to federal research. Statistics Canada noted prices of fruits and vegetables have risen sharply in the past decade while the relative cost of durable items like appliances and clothing declined with inexpensive imports. “There are many other more sophisticated ways of doing this,” said the Bank of Canada governor.
MPs have voted to delete an adjective from legislation on culture. The Commons heritage committee vetoed an opposition proposal to change the wording of a museums bill, C-49: “If it’s just a celebration, then much of history will never be uncovered.”
Canada’s landlocked submarine fleet will have spent more time in repairs than at sea by the expiry of the naval program, say defence analysts. In a critical review, researchers with the Rideau Institute and Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives faulted cabinet for its management of the fleet: “The submarines were badly flawed.”
Secret military documents withheld from Parliament show most Afghans rated Canada’s war mission a failure. Declassified research obtained by Blacklock’s and considered “invaluable” by military commanders documented growing opposition to NATO even as Parliament was assured the war was progressing.
Retailers are pressing the Department of Finance for a “line by line” review of tariffs to repeal unnecessary charges on consumers. Finance Minister Jim Flaherty says he needs retailers’ help to see “if it works” to reduce tariffs. Budget plans propose to raise import taxes by $1 billion over five years.
Companies in transport, banking and other federally-regulated industries can more easily decertify unions under a private Conservative bill. C-525 permits as few as 45% of employees to disband a union local by secret ballot in any business under the Canada Labour Code: “They don’t want workers to organize.”
American furniture, housewares, fruits, vegetables and livestock are all candidates for retaliatory tariffs in a cross-border dispute over meat labeling. The Department of Agriculture reported it hopes to negotiate an end to the $5 billion feud: “This has been a difficult and costly fight.”
Afghans considered Canadian troops corrupt and ineffectual even as Parliament was assured it was “winning” the war, secret documents show. Declassified military research obtained by Blacklock’s show Afghan support for NATO was collapsing as Parliament voted to extend the Kandahar mission in 2008. There is no indication the secret data were disclosed to MPs or senators, though military commanders rated it “invaluable”.
RCMP recruitment is down more than two-thirds since 2009 despite a federal ad blitz. The Mounties expanded recruitment ads to the internet, movie theatres and “ethnic” media, yet saw the number of new cadets decline to fewer than 600 a year: “It’s like a ghost town.”
Animal welfare advocates and pork producers have drafted a new Code of Practice on the humane treatment of pigs. The code limits the use of stalls for piglets now confined for months at a time: “It’s like being stuck in an airline seat for your life.”
Canada’s Competition Bureau is taking three telecom giants to Federal Court in a probe over trading in spectrum licenses. The Bureau filed applications summoning Rogers, Shaw and Globalive Wireless to appear before a federal judge with confidential corporate records.
