The Senate hired a private law firm to seek retractions in a TV network story depicting routine budget deliberations as “another backroom meeting” to divvy up public funds. Global News rewrote its story after being contacted by the Senate’s attorney: “We will continue to push back”.
A Senate committee has approved a DNA privacy bill, the first of its kind in Canada, to outlaw discrimination on the basis of genetic testing. Senators heard testimony that Canada remains the only G7 country without legal protection against misuse of DNA tests by employers or insurers: “Great moment in history”.
Transport Canada has hired only 32 more national rail inspectors since the disastrous 2013 Lac-Mégantic wreck, officials say. Cabinet vowed to ensure safe transport of hazardous goods: ‘It’s time we actually start regulating’.
Parliament is giving itself five sitting weeks to rush a bill allowing RCMP to unionize. It follows a Supreme Court order to correct an unconstitutional ban on collective bargaining in the police force by May 16: ‘No government wanted this legislation’.
Canada must halt solitary confinement of mentally-ill inmates, says the Correctional Investigator of Canada. The renewed appeal follows a 2015 Federal Court ruling that struck down a longstanding prison psychological test as biased and unreliable: “23-hour lockup in isolation isn’t healthy for anyone”.
Banks will see a 53 increase in revenues under an amendment to a federal small business loan program. Small business was neither consulted on the change nor asked for it, said the Canadian Federation of Independent Business: “This program is not really about increasing revenue for the banks”.
Atlantic offshore oil companies have won new regulations limiting their liability in case of a spill. Natural Resources Canada proposed to exempt offshore rigs from strict billion-dollar liability for Arctic drillers and pipeline operators: ‘It is puzzling, frankly’.
Canada will take no moral lessons from the U.S. in defending its seal hunt, says the Senate sponsor of a bill proclaiming a National Seal Products Day. “Stop sending black people to jail,” said Senator Céline Hervieux-Payette.
“Fantasyland” scenarios under a Pacific trade deal will grow the nation’s manufacturing trade deficit, says Unifor. The union representing autoworkers joined Ford Motor Co. in urging MPs to reject the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement as written: “We’re a country that has lost our way”.
MPs will consider a motion to examine internet regulation of pornography. Broadcast regulators in 1999 concluded web content was beyond federal control — a policy reaffirmed in 2009 by the CRTC: “There are other things we have to do”.
Transport Canada says it will take weeks to respond to a sweeping federal report urging privatization of airports, elimination of regulated rail freight profit caps and cuts to regional VIA Rail subsidies. The report is “a lot of big talk”, said a senior official.
Nearly a third of Canadians with new car loans have borrowed more than their vehicles are worth, says the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada. The Agency – which draws 90 percent of its budget from banks and other corporations – said it could not fault lenders: “I would not submit to you it is an unfair lending practice”.
Health Canada must protect consumers from a barrage of sugar-laden processed foods, says a Senator who led a two-year probe of obesity rates. Critics yesterday condemned proposals for tighter regulation of processors as reckless and outrageous: ‘It’s up to the Minister of Health, not the Senate’.
National mercury emissions have declined mainly due to the closure of a single Manitoba copper smelter cited as the worst polluter in the country, says Environment Canada. More study of long-term effects on First Nations, anglers and Asian Canadians with fish-rich diets is needed, researchers warned: “There is a lack of data on mercury exposure of Canadian children”.
A cabinet bid for Canadians’ input on new internet privacy regulations is being cheered by advocates. It follows 2015 passage of a Senate bill that sanctioned data mining by internet service providers: “It has a long way to go”.
