Four Canadian cities are on a federal housing watch amid “strong evidence of problematic conditions”, says CMHC. Cities included Toronto, Calgary – and Saskatoon, a finding dispute by the city’s mayor: “I wouldn’t say that at all”.
The Supreme Court is taking a pass on an impaired driving appeal six months after judges upheld automatic roadside suspension laws. The court declined to hear from a British Columbia driver who challenged his suspension after disputing evidence in the case: “The state can punish you in ways other than sending you to prison”.
Federal managers should ensure a “civil workplace” following research that 2 in 10 government employees experienced rude or offensive incidents, says an executives’ association. Most blamed bosses for bad behaviour: “Watch your manners”.
The Canadian Transportation Agency has ruled it will not hear general complaints from consumers’ advocates on behalf of air passengers. The decision narrowing the scope of investigations pre-empts a cabinet decision on a statutory review of the Canada Transportation Act: “This is terrible”.
Cabinet will consider naming permanent Indigenous appointees to the industry-dominated National Energy Board, says Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr. The current 13-member board has a majority of eight former mining, oil and gas and utility executives: ‘We can be an example to the world’.
The immigration department must consider the wellbeing of unborn children when deporting illegal migrants, says a federal judge. The author of the ruling was earlier shortlisted by then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper for appointment to the Supreme Court: “It’s unique and unusual”.
This year’s federal census – the first in a decade to mandate long-form questionnaires – will cost $209 million, says Statistics Canada. Officials said changes to the last survey in 2011 compromised research affecting rural Canada and minority groups: “Saskatchewan in particular was very hard hit”.
A parliamentary committee in a rare motion has declined a Pacific junket. Austerity-minded lawmakers vetoed a six-figure budget to travel to Australia for wine tasting and scrutiny of regulations: “I didn’t realize we were going to rent the Space Shuttle to go down there”.
The prison population has declined and recidivism rates remain unchanged even as Canada spends nearly $5 billion a year on jailing offenders, records show. The Department of Public Safety reported the number of prison inmates fell nine percent in one year despite a decade of evolving crime legislation: “These laws were more about ideology”.
A bill allowing RCMP to unionize is a “bad law” that will result in yet more litigation, the Commons public safety committee has been told. MPs declined amendments sought by all police union advocates to broaden collective bargaining rights: ‘It’s kind of a Pyrrhic victory’.
Environment Canada after a year’s review proposes to regulate home heating oil as toxic – by 2018. The lengthy delay comes despite a federal designation on Fuel Oil No. 2 as a high priority for risk assessment: “It’s still a long process”.
The Commons Liberal majority will oppose a 49 percent tax cut on small distillers. MPs called the opposition proposal a corporate giveaway that would cost the treasury $55 million a year: “It’s a huge impediment”.
New suspicions of racial profiling target the Canada Border Services Agency. A decorated peace officer cited Agency staff for “malicious” misconduct. The latest allegation comes as the Senate debates a bill to appoint an independent inspector general to field complaints against customs staff: “Were they profiling minorities?”
The finance department is repealing a 6 percent tax on whale byproducts. Canada ended its commercial whale hunt 44 years ago. No company is known to import whale extract: “This was included among many other things”.
The National Energy Board rejected two-thirds of applicants who sought intervenor status at licensing hearings on a pipeline project, new records show. The refusals followed 2012 amendments to federal law that limited public input: ‘This is the reason the Board does not enjoy the confidence of the public’.
