Health Canada proposes to regulate over-the-counter cosmetic contact lenses after compiling scores of reports of eye injuries. The initiative comes six years after MPs passed a motion to protect consumers from the lenses: “This is extremely concerning”.
A federal board has dismissed a Canada Labour Code appeal by a union executive stripped of membership after stealing more than $1.6 million from a British Columbia local. The Canada Industrial Relations Board threw out complaints of unfair treatment: ‘It was not a clever plan’.
Cabinet is again invoking a blacklist of threatened tariffs on Florida orange juice, Washington State apples and other goods following an international trade ruling against American regulations. The World Trade Organization as expected ruled in favour of Canada over a 2008 U.S. regulation on beef and pork shipments: ‘There’s no shadow of a doubt’.
Federal regulations are currently a “block” to expanding aquaculture and should be revised, says the head of a Senate panel examining the industry. Senator Fabian Manning said a fisheries committee report due in 2015 will focus on growing the trade: “Why have we flat-lined?”
A federal judge has ruled Canadian government agencies may conceal public information even if it’s already available on Google. The ruling came in a lawsuit against Natural Resources Canada for flouting the Access To Information Act: “What damage is done?”
Contractors are not entitled to hire offshore tradespeople even if they’re unable to keep Canadian talent, a federal judge has ruled. The decision followed a lawsuit by a British Columbia construction company that sought permits to hire carpenters under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program: “That is not the purpose of the program”.
Fewer than half of Canadians are now confident of federal regulators’ protection of food safety, says an Agriculture Canada report. The research is the first of its kind since the 2012 XL Foods scandal that cited the government for “weaknesses” in preventing the sale of contaminated beef: “How confident are you?”
The Supreme Court has ruled evidence collected in a federal criminal investigation of price-fixing by gas retailers should be available to consumers in class action lawsuits. The Court ruled in a 6-1 decision that evidence collected for one investigation could be used in the other: “How do you get at them?”
More than 1 in 10 companies surveyed for Industry Canada say they will “close or relocate” if energy prices rise as forecast by 2025. The research by the Council of Canadian Academies tracked firms’ response to up-and-down oil prices in trucking, manufacturing and other industries: ‘Preparedness was key’.
The Sierra Club of Canada has settled a Federal Court copyright claim with Blacklock’s Reporter. The group admitted to republishing bootleg news articles on its own website without permission or credit. The stories were reprinted word for word under Sierra Club’s own headlines.
“Copyright breaches cost newsroom jobs,” said Blacklock’s publisher Holly Doan. “Reporters like all Canadians deserve compensation for their work.” The original articles were paywalled and available only to subscribers and licensees.
The Sierra Club Foundation said its actions were not malicious, and that “changes to website protocols have been made to prevent a reccurrence.” The club posted the articles for weeks until they were detected.
John Bennett, executive director, initially apologized and blamed the copyright breach on staff. However Bennett declined to name the source of the bootleg articles, prompting Blacklock’s to file a Federal Court application.
“The articles in question were posted on a Google site by one of your subscribers,” Bennett wrote in an email. “I would suggest you better communicate with them about sharing materials.” In court submissions Blacklock’s counsel noted terms and conditions are continually posted on the website.
The action was settled out of court at the Sierra Club’s request. “We welcome an end to these unhappy incidents,” said Doan. “Copyright is not a technicality; it is our livelihood.” Blacklock’s has determined the source of the articles.
They Liked The Stories
Evidence submitted to Federal Court showed on December 8, 2013, Sierra Club electronically published an article headlined, “A disaster, simple as that, says Gus Etchegary, chair, Community Fisheries Alliance of Newfoundland & Labrador”. The origin of the article wasn’t identified. It was identical to a Blacklock’s story published eleven days earlier, “A Disaster, Simple As That”, by reporter Kaven Baker-Voakes.
In a second incident on February 16, 2014, Sierra Club published an article it headlined, “CETA Calm Now, Storm Later – Dairy farmers face tidal wave of subsidized imports”. No source for the article was named. The article was reprinted word for word from an earlier February 7 Blacklock’s item, “Calm Now, Storm Later”, by reporter Alex Binkley.
A third bootleg story, “Feds Stung By Eco-Ruling”, was republished by the Sierra Club of British Columbia at its own website on February 18, 2014. All the offending articles have since been removed by the club.
Publisher Doan noted that Blacklock’s, the only reporter-owned and operated newsroom in the Parliamentary Press Gallery, has to date filed Federal Court actions against three other organizations for violating the Copyright Act by republishing or distributing articles without licensing agreements. Trials are pending.
“We will defend our rights vigorously,” Doan said.
By Staff 
Cabinet is again promising a crackdown on offshore tax evaders amid criticism the Canada Revenue Agency effort to date has been toothless. Revenue Minister Kerry-Lynne Findlay in a reply to an auditors’ report said strict new policies will be enforced: ‘It’s weak, slow and inconsistent’.
Agriculture Canada cautions that farm pesticides are one “culprit” blamed for losses suffered by beekeepers. However a department publication crediting bee pollination with $2 billion in farm production is silent on highly-toxic pesticides now the subject of federal investigations: “Some species are already at risk”.
Cabinet proposes no new initiatives on disclosure of public information despite a Commons committee recommendation for less concealment of records. The Treasury Board in a formal response said it “welcomes the recommendations” but detailed no original policies: ‘Data should be open by default’.
Seven in ten Canadians see no improvement in the economy, and many remain wary of federal initiatives on oil pipelines, free trade and a balanced budget according to in-house cabinet polling. Research by the Privy Council Office shows Canadians rate medicare and the environment as more pressing issues: “There was not a widespread push for the budget to be balanced”.
Canada Post faces a Federal Court challenge over its plans to eliminate all doorstep mail delivery nationwide. A coalition led by the Canadian Postal Workers Union said it will today file an application asking that a judge quash the service cuts: “These cuts go against the rights of Canadians”.
