Canada’s interim Auditor General yesterday said his office is so short of funding it has indefinitely postponed performance audits of federal departments. Only investigations mandated by Parliament will be completed, said Sylvain Ricard: “I am really getting concerned.”
Cabinet yesterday acknowledged fake pandemic relief claims have been paid to ineligible applicants posing as jobless. Claims exceed by millions the actual number of unemployed, records show: ‘We are working in lockstep to ensure this isn’t happening anymore.’
MPs have gained new powers to award lucrative wage subsidies to local employers regardless of whether they asked for aid. The Department of Employment approved the “temporary flexibility” under the quarter-billion dollar Canada Summer Jobs program: ‘New projects MPs identify for immediate investment will be funded first.’
A CBC pundit on legal affairs was paid tens of thousands in fees by the Privy Council Office, according to records. The CBC suggested it was unaware of payments to Professor Carissima Mathen. A network policy mandates disclosure of contributors’ financial dealings “so the public can fully understand that person’s perspective”.
The Canadian Coast Guard paid a private contractor more than $400,000 to tow a pair of rescue boats on a month-long journey through the Panama Canal, records show. The Coast Guard said it couldn’t crew the vessels since there was no place to sleep: “There were no competing bids sought for this task as it was not submitted for tender.”
Prairie MPs last night expressed dismay after Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault couldn’t define Western heritage. “It’s actually a thing,” Guilbeault was told.
Federal unions fear deficit-driven job cuts once the pandemic ends, the Commons government operations committee was told. Previous deficits resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of jobs: “Lots of people are very afraid that austerity days are to come.”
Permits for low-wage foreign workers are still being approved by the Department of Employment though 2,418,300 Canadians are jobless, say managers. The disclosure came in testimony at the Commons human resources committee: ‘We require employers to prove they tried to hire Canadians.’
Cabinet is calling Parliament into emergency session to pass a dairy relief bill. Other agri-food executives told the Commons agriculture committee aid to date is so inadequate some Canadian firms face certain bankruptcy: “This is not going to be a short-term crisis.”
Immigration levels may be cut for the first time in a decade due to the “surrounding context” of mass unemployment, Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino hinted in testimony at the Commons human resources committee. Current levels are a third higher than in past recessions: “We are in the midst of a pandemic.”
Cabinet will extend a pandemic wage subsidy program that appears under-subscribed. Data show only a fraction of budgeted funds have been claimed to date: “Small business owners are worried and scared.”
All-party MPs on the Commons finance committee last night refused to endorse a demand for millions in pandemic relief by the Canadian Football League. One Conservative MP, former voice of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, said even Rider fans won’t tolerate a league bailout: “There’s a lot of public skepticism.”
Foreign Minister François-Philippe Champagne yesterday defended his public thanks to China for a pandemic donation even as federal authorities complained of shoddy goods and late deliveries from medical suppliers in the People’s Republic. “We are grateful to every nation,” said Champagne.
Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough yesterday suggested a Canada Summer Jobs program will be expanded, again. Her remarks came six days after Parliament amid criticism passed a pandemic relief bill to pay students without work: “This is not a perfect system.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau yesterday pledged $4 billion in pandemic bonuses for essential minimum wage workers as designated by provinces. The funding raises the federal deficit to a record $256 billion: “The minimum wage sets a floor.”
