Cabinet in a confidential order granted its Chief Science Advisor “blanket authority” to travel worldwide even as other federal managers were ordered to cut expenses, Access To Information records show. Dr. Mona Nemer, a University of Ottawa biochemist, was told to charge expenses “where a personal benefit exists or may appear to exist.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney has granted federal managers arbitrary powers to ignore his Buy Canadian policy, records show. New reasons to bypass Canadian contractors include “administrative burden.”
An Alberta senator yesterday said her personal safety was threatened by public disclosure of a provincial voters’ list. The incident was “very grave,” Senator Paula Simons of Edmonton told the Senate legal and constitutional affairs committee: 'It is a threat to the safety of many Albertans, myself included.'
The Commons yesterday by a 189 to 128 vote passed into law new hate crimes legislation. The cabinet bill written to counter anti-Semitic public disorder drew contentious amendments unrelated to safety of Canadian Jews: "It is less sober second thought and more quick hot takes."
A Senate panel yesterday rejected assurances by CBC management that news coverage is politically neutral. The transport and communications committee recommended the CBC submit to independent audits of its news content: "Allegations of bias are serious and undermine trust."
Cabinet’s $393,000-a year Chief Science Advisor billed taxpayers for 12 business-class flights to Paris, records show. Nemer earlier told MPs she couldn’t recall flying business class while running up more than $400,000 in expenses: "What exactly are Canadian taxpayers paying you to do?"
Governor General Louise Arbour yesterday in one of her first acts of office notified MPs she is cutting her clothing allowance. Arbour’s predecessor was sharply criticized for billing thousands for shoes, silk jackets and other apparel: 'The Office has revised its guidelines for clothing.'
Foreign Minister Anita Anand yesterday could not say how cabinet's approval for 278,989 imported Chinese battery electric cars will comply with a federal ban on slave-made goods. “I cannot confirm what will be on the list,” she said.
Parliament must never allow electronic voting, a House affairs committee report said yesterday. It followed comments by Chief Electoral Officer Stéphane Perrault that cabinet might “explore other technologies.”
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree’s department yesterday said it is “extremely close” to launching a registry of foreign agents. The same department said it was “very close” six months ago: "There are going to be consequences."
Overdose deaths went up with decriminalization of narcotics in British Columbia, then fell once police resumed enforcement of drug laws, federal Department of Health figures confirmed yesterday. Cabinet has denied the B.C. experiment was a failure: "We need to leave aside dogmatism."
A newly-declassified 1992 federal memo predicted Islamic extremists would attempt to bypass federal security checks by filing refugee claims in Canada. The memo to the Department of Foreign Affairs complained that refugee claimants were “extremely difficult to control."
Statistics Canada yesterday revised its benchmark inflation calculator to more accurately account for rising costs of auto insurance and other necessities, and reduce the “basket weight” given to the price of books and cigarettes. Adjustments to the Consumer Price Index take effect June 22: 'It must reflect how Canadians are spending their money."
Senators yesterday were urged to pass what one proponent called an "easy, beautiful" bill to promote organ donation. The Commons has already given unanimous consent to the proposal by Conservative MP Ziad Aboultaif (Edmonton Manning) to award a federal medal to living donors: "How about the hundreds and thousands of lives we can save?"
Cuban repression remains strictly enforced even as the nation’s economy grinds to a standstill, a Commons subcommittee on international human rights was told yesterday. Prison rations were down to 300 calories a day, testified one human rights advocate: "Do Cubans have a real chance against this tyranny? None."
