Cabinet’s campaign to win a temporary seat on the United Nations Security Council will cost millions, documents show. Expenses this year are near $500,000 including large sums for hospitality and staff salaries, though the election won’t be held until 2020: ‘They have an unhealthy focus on this.’
Whales in captivity are no better than human beings in a jail cell, says a senator. The Senate fisheries committee is examining a bill to ban the capture and display of whales in Canada: “Imagine putting yourself in that situation.”
The Federal Court of Appeal has upheld a labour board ruling that the RCMP wrongfully fired an employee for smoking marijuana off duty. The judgment comes as cabinet prepares to introduce a bill legalizing recreational cannabis: ‘They punished behaviour the RCMP deemed unacceptable – using marijuana.”
A federal court for the second time in six weeks has faulted Canada’s Public Sector Integrity Commissioner for mishandling whistleblower complaints. The watchdog was ordered to reopen an investigation abandoned on narrow technical grounds in 2013: “The Commissioner acts as a filter and not as a shield.”
A bill to celebrate the national seal hunt will not become law in time for a scheduled May 20 observance. MPs last night adjourned final debate without allowing it to come to a vote: “First they condemned us for killing baby seals.”
Statistics Canada remains on a short leash despite cabinet claims of greater independence, say two former chief statisticians. Retired chiefs told the Commons industry committee a federal bill to reform the agency falls short: “Canadian legislation has been among the worst.”
The Senate is being asked to probe a secretive $372.5 million loan to Bombardier Inc. A senior Conservative senator yesterday served notice of a motion to have lawmakers examine private terms and taxpayers’ cost of the Bombardier concession. The company in the past has sued to block disclosure of detailed subsidies: “We can get to the bottom of this whole sordid affair.”
Senate Conservatives are waging a last stand to save a union bill slated for repeal. Conservatives yesterday proposed 11th hour amendments to maintain secret balloting for certification of new unions in any federally-regulated workplace: “Be careful.”
Bank of Canada lawyers in a vulgar email said media deserve a “kick in the knackers” on copyright. MPs and senators this year undertake a statutory review of the Copyright Act for the first time since 2012.
A partner at the Bank’s law firm Borden Ladner Gervais LLP of Ottawa wrote the December 22, 2016 email to government attorneys following a cost award against Blacklock’s Reporter in a Federal Court copyright case. The Department of Justice recently released the email under Access To Information.
“WOW! Very well done…” said the redacted note; “A wonder kick in the knackers for Blacklock’s.” The name of the Bank lawyer who sent the message is censored.
Blacklock’s earlier filed a copyright claim against the Bank for sharing password-protected news stories without permission or licensing fee. Evidence submitted to Federal Court shows Bank employees bought a single $157 password, then copied stories to more than 100 staff in 2013 and 2014 as well as the Royal Canadian Mint.
The Bank at the time collected $1.24 million in licensing fees on its own copyrights in the period from 2011 to 2015, according to an Inquiry Of Ministry tabled in the Commons. The Mint’s copyright license revenues over the same period totaled $1.23 million.
Parliament last revised the Copyright Act five years ago with amendments to “update the rights and protections of copyright owners to better address the challenges and opportunities of the internet”, according to a preamble to the Copyright Modernization Act. Changes included provisions for “technological protection measures” like passwords.
“Respect for intellectual property is absolutely non-negotiable,” Senator Réne Cormier (Independent-N.B.) earlier told the Senate. “The same must be true for the integrity of creative works. That is why this chamber will need to pay close attention to the review of the Copyright Act coming this fall.”
“Although Canada has important legislation on copyright and the status of artists, Canadian creators face many challenges when it comes to respect for their work,” said Senator Cormier.
Blacklock’s has filed copyright suits against several federal departments and agencies for knowingly sharing passwords and copying works without permission or licensing fees. The Department of Justice in Court filings claimed federal employees have a right to copy thousands of password-protected works without permission in the name of media monitoring.
“There was no profit involved in the sharing of these articles,” federal attorneys wrote in a statement of defence on behalf of Health Canada. “Articles were shared for a non-commercial research and review purpose.”
Health Canada in the period from 2013 to 2016 copied Blacklock’s stories to more than 1,000 employees after buying online passwords for as little as $148. The department at the time spent $289,000 for media monitoring licenses.
By Staff 
Federal departments last winter paid nearly $5 million in Christmas bonuses to a few hundred senior managers. MPs protested the payments at the same time cabinet ran a $23 billion deficit and garbled payroll records for thousands of government employees: “It’s ridiculous.”
Farm groups and supporters fear new regulations to prevent animal suffering will harm industry. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency proposes to rewrite animal welfare rules for the first time since 1977: “Don’t give in to the irrational objectives of the animal activists.”
Experts testifying at the Commons health committee say there is no clinical evidence pornography is damaging Canadians’ mental health. MPs are conducting the first parliamentary review of obscenity in 32 years: “Adolescents are not having sex any younger.”
MPs are citing Transport Canada for “shocking” conduct disclosed in an audit of auto safety regulation. Auditors found the department was too slow to enact reforms, and too close to industry lobbyists in considering the cost to automakers of necessary improvements: “This is what makes people cynical.”
Federal agencies grew the TV budget last year, spending more than $2.5 million on thousands of new sets for teleconferencing and daytime viewing. The spending was 200 percent higher than normal, according to an Inquiry Of Ministry tabled in the Commons: “That blows my mind.”
The fisheries department is expanding regulations against shark finning after acknowledging rules are inadequate. Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc signed the confidential order to have ocean trawlers stop removing fins from sharks caught in longline nets. The memo was obtained through Access To Information: “This responds to international calls.”
