Blacklock's Reporter

Statistics Canada reviewed whether to add a “non-binary” gender category in its monthly jobless reports but concluded the population was too small for accurate data, says a labour department report. Less than a quarter of one percent of Canadians identify as transgender or non-binary: "Given the non-binary population is small, data aggregation to a two-category gender variable is necessary."

Parliament should federalize rent controls and cover late payments for tenants “at risk of immediate homelessness,” says the only MP in the federal New Democrat leadership race. Heather McPherson (Edmonton Strathcona) yesterday said regulation must not be left to landlords and local authorities: "Affordable housing is non-negotiable."

A now-suspended tax on foreign-owned vacant residences cost nearly as much to collect as it raised in cash, according to Canada Revenue Agency figures. Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced repeal of the tax last November 4: "The form is six pages long."

The Department of Health this year will monitor industry’s compliance with a voluntary plan to save billions in health care costs by cutting sodium levels in processed foods. Non-compliance “will inform future actions,” the department wrote in a report to the Senate: "Industry needs to make additional efforts."

The Public Health Agency yesterday budgeted $80,000 to have pollsters design future surveys regarding Canadians’ willingness to take medical advice from the government. It followed a 2023 report acknowledging “increased distrust of government and science.”

Liberal MP Chrystia Freeland (University-Rosedale, Ont.) only days after consulting Canadian CEOs on investment in Ukraine yesterday accepted appointment as an advisor to Ukraine’s President for “attracting investment.” Federal law prohibits public office holders from using their office to further a private interest: "Oh, is it the right time to invest in Ukraine?"

Cabinet is undermining a federal law to unmask foreign agents, the vice-chair of the Commons public safety committee said yesterday. Comments by Conservative MP Frank Caputo (Kamloops-Thompson, B.C.) followed disclosures the Department of Public Safety contemplated trivial fines against scofflaws found in breach of an Act of Parliament: "No surprise."

Shared Services Canada, the federal IT department, promises it has “lessons learned” after blaming staff error for a days-long shutdown of electronic security checks and border controls last September. No one was fired, and no travelers or shippers were compensated for delays: 'There were real world impacts.'

The environment department in a briefing note for Minister Julie Dabrusin said Canadian oil and gas is “among the cleanest” in the world. The document is dated just weeks before cabinet agreed in principle to expand Alberta oil exports and suspend a Pacific Coast tanker ban: "Canada can produce among the cleanest oil and gas products in the world."

The Correctional Service says 2025 was a bad year for prison breaks. The number of escapes from federal penitentiaries more than doubled. No reason was given: "Incidents were primarily ‘walkaways’ from minimum security institutions."

Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree proposes to weaken a public foreign registry mandated by Parliament 19 months ago. Anandasangaree in draft regulations disclosed Saturday suggested penalties be as modest as a $50 fine and that cash payments to foreign agents remain hidden in the name of privacy: "Regulations would allow certain information not to be published."

Cabinet quietly reneged on its pledge to NATO allies that it would spend 2 percent of GDP on military preparedness by December 31. Defence Minister David McGuinty’s department had no public comment and would not release its internal estimate of military spending under Access To Information: "Aspiration without effort is just empty rhetoric."

Lawyers at the Department of Justice ran up nearly $600 million in billable hours last year, says an internal report. New figures followed data showing a third of cases were lost or settled: "There were approximately 43,000 ongoing litigation files."

Canadians in Privy Council focus groups complain property crimes including auto theft are now commonplace and that Parliament must “toughen bail laws.” The in-house research concluded virtually all people surveyed rated crime a major issue: 'A number thought the federal government should introduce harsher consequences for repeat offenders.'

The Public Health Agency in first-ever national data confirms rates of autism diagnoses have skyrocketed in Canada but could not say why. The federal compilation of figures was “a valuable opportunity to address longstanding data gaps,” it said.