A total 315 veterans — less than 0.1 percent of the public service — have been hired under a 2015 bill promising preferential treatment for ex-military in applying for government work, says Veterans Affairs Canada. The number of jobs at federal departments, agencies and Crown corporations total 379,000: “We would like to see better results.”
Regulators have no reason to delay a proposed ban on a common pesticide, the Commons agriculture committee has been told. Health Canada is considering the phase-out over three to five years of a farm chemical deemed an environmental risk: “As an MP it makes it difficult.”
Employers must accommodate staff with drug addictions and be non-judgmental, says a Canadian Human Rights Commission guide for corporations. The document was published as cabinet prepares to introduce a bill to legalize recreational marijuana: “Understand that the employee might be feeling pressured, guilty or anxious.”
Parliament must reform trade laws to counter steel dumping by Chinese mills, union and industry executives yesterday told the Commons trade committee. Weak legislation has made Canada vulnerable to shipments from state-owned China producers, officials said: ‘We cannot compete with the People’s Republic.’
A court judgment upholding a $6,000 fine for animal suffering by a food processor should spur an ongoing review of federal regulations, says an MP. More than 1.5 million birds and livestock die in transport each year, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency: “We don’t want fines to become just the cost of doing business.”
The Commons last night voted 222 to 60 in favour of Canada’s first anti-genetic discrimination law. A total 103 Liberal MPs supported the bill over objections of the Attorney General and cabinet: “Most Canadians would be shocked.”
Cabinet will likely not legalize marijuana this term even if a bill passes Parliament, say Access To Information records. Cabinet anticipates years of study and consultation on regulations, said memos from the departments of health and justice: “We need to do a lot more research.”
Lawyers are no more likely to be involved in money laundering than cross-border truck drivers or small business owners, says a federal report. The research obtained through Access To Information followed years of costly government litigation to force lawyers to divulge information on clients: “It happens.”
Alleged profiling by the Canada Border Services Agency is under formal investigation by the Canadian Human Rights Commission. The case involves a U.S. citizen detained for hours after attempting to cross the Canadian border in 2016: “I was subjected to humiliation.”
A bill to recognize November 11 as a legal federal holiday has been approved by the Commons heritage committee. Six similar bills have failed over protests from small business, school boards and the Royal Canadian Legion: “Why would we propose such a bill?”
A federal economist is contradicting the Department of Finance in claiming Conservatives did in fact balance the budget their last year in office. The boast came in a newly-released promotional guide for investors: “This government doesn’t know what the hell it is doing.”
Canadians face higher electricity bills if cabinet is to meet its greenhouse gas emission targets, says a Senate energy committee report. Senators warned homeowners and business face profound changes under a federal climate change plan: “How much of our welfare are we willing to risk?”
Health Canada is accused of bending to public pressure in proposing to ban a common pesticide. Regulators yesterday denied the allegation at the Commons agriculture committee, but acknowledged receiving an unusually large number of submissions on the ban, 100,000 to date: “The decision was not political.”
Parliament must vote once and for all on whether to rewrite O Canada with gender-neutral lyrics, says a legislator. The Senate yesterday adjourned final debate on a bill to remove a reference to “sons” in the national anthem: “Let us take a decision.”
The federal tourism commission, citing a limited budget, is hiring a Chinese publicist to attract more visitors from the People’s Republic. Destination Canada said it has modest funding to place stories in Communist-licensed press: “Destination Canada is constrained.”
