Taxpayers have fully guaranteed more than a billion in Crown bank loans to unidentified companies that reported disastrous revenue losses due to the pandemic. Union executives have asked that borrowers be publicly named: “That’s information the public should know.”
An estimated 175,000 federal employees have received compensation over payroll errors, says a Department of Public Works briefing note. The department did not disclose the cost but acknowledged maximum damages would total nearly half a billion: “We will always have respect for taxpayer dollars.”
Canada’s Covid outlook is “slightly precarious” with infection rates on the rise since July 18 and likely to continue upwards into September, says Dr. Theresa Tam, chief public health officer. Even Canadians who are fully vaccinated must wear masks indoors this fall, said Tam: “Vaccinated people can carry the virus and then transmit to others.”
Widows who outlive two husbands cannot double their survivors’ benefits under the Canada Pension Plan, says a federal judge. Parliament intended the Plan to operate as an insurance program not “a social welfare scheme,” said the Federal Court of Appeal: “Giving to some takes from others.”
Canada’s third largest university has lost a claim to photocopy millions of pages of copyright works for free. The Supreme Court in a 9-0 ruling dismissed the appeal by York University: “It has resulted in a 76 percent decrease in royalties to creators and publishers.”
Blacklock’s pauses for the August bank holiday with warmest regards to subscribers. We wish you a safe, happy holiday. We’ll be back tomorrow — The Editor.
Cabinet yesterday proposed to appoint a chief internet censor with sweeping powers to block websites, investigate anonymous complaints and conduct closed-door hearings into legal but hurtful content deemed a threat to “democratic institutions.” Technical papers released by Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault’s department said cabinet would determine “the threshold for what constitutes potentially illegal content.”
Cabinet should mandate vaccine passports, says a federal executives’ periodical. The Prime Minister has called it an “extreme measure,” while one federal agency said any passport mandate would breach the Privacy Act: “It is an encroachment on civil liberties.”
The Prime Minister yesterday named five people to the Senate including an Alberta appointment Premier Jason Kenney called a “slap in the face.” The Alberta cabinet on June 23 issued an order to hold elections for Senate nominees this fall: “The Prime Minister knows full well.”
Canada Post yesterday confirmed the limited reintroduction of postal banking for the first time in 53 years. Post offices in Nova Scotia and Alberta will broker cash loans for the Toronto Dominion Bank: “Postal banking has been under a tremendous amount of discussion.”
A provincial court judge has ruled military bookkeeping is so inept it was impossible to know for certain how much was stolen at the Sydney, N.S. Garrison. The ruling follows an internal audit that faulted the Department of National Defence for mismanagement of money-losing golf and curling clubs: “There are too many holes in the bucket.”
The Public Health Agency called police to report nearly 58,000 Canadians suspected of leaving their own homes in breach of the Quarantine Act, records show. Figures did not disclose if any were charged by the RCMP: “Home checks focus on medium risk travelers.”
Elections Canada research shows a majority of electors oppose giving the ballot to high schoolers. A bill to lower the federal voting age to 16 was given Second Reading in the Senate on June 22: “What about running for public office?”
Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault’s department today will detail internet censorship rules to be enforced under a bill that has yet to pass Parliament. Legal but hurtful content deemed to “undermine Canada’s social cohesion or democracy” will be banned: “The idea of bureaucrats once again getting into this business is deeply disturbing.”
A third of Canadians are wary of a little-known federal program to monitor border travelers for tax compliance. Research by the Canada Border Services Agency found only 26 percent of people surveyed were “very comfortable” with the collection of more personal information: “How would you rate your level of confidence?”
