Computer networks in the Department of Fisheries are so dysfunctional employees work from home, says a federal report. Inspectors uncovered numerous IT breakdowns as staff tried to meet deadlines for cabinet’s signature environmental protection program, the $1.5 billion Oceans Protection Plan: "Requirements were not well understood."
Access To Information memos document federal grumbling over an inaccurate Department of Finance claim regarding the carbon tax. “That’s a doozy!” wrote a manager after staff spotted a misleading report intended to counter Prairie criticism of the tax: "Misquoting undermines the argument.'
Elections Canada counted two Liberal voters in the Village of Strome, Alta., population 260, in a constituency that saw the most lopsided win in the October 21 general election. Conservatives won Battle River-Crowfoot with a record 85.5 percent of the vote on 77 percent turnout: "Voters were lined up outside the door."
The Department of National Defence should find ways to “exploit social media”, says the Royal Military College. Department surveys have found fewer Canadians use Facebook or Twitter than read a weekly newspaper: "A robust social media policy is an effective first line of defence."
Newcomers to Canada resent illegal immigrants for “jumping what they view as an immigration queue”, according to Department of Immigration research. Illegal immigration has cost Parliament $1.4 billion in three years, by official estimate: "We worked really hard to get here."
Federal departments oppose a demand by MPs and the Privacy Commissioner for more fines over corporate privacy breaches, say Access To Information records. Cabinet is drafting confidential amendments to a privacy law that currently mandates fines of up to $100,000 for failing to report loss or theft of customers’ personal information: "From the public’s perspective, they don’t really care."
Canada has shipped tonnes of meat products to China for processing only to see it shipped back as imports, according to Access To Information records. The Department of Agriculture explained the crisscross trade was a small portion of total exports: "Who benefits other than China?"
The Department of Public Works has budgeted $400,000 in a rush order for exterminators following an outbreak of bed bugs in federal buildings in Ottawa. “There is an urgency,” wrote staff: "This is something that is not expected in an office setting."
Blacklock's Reporter pauses for Remembrance Day with gratitude to all who honoured our country. Thank you for your sacrifice.
Poet Shai Ben-Shalom, an Israeli-born biologist, examines current events in the Blacklock’s tradition each and every Sunday: “Elections are over. It is time to show generosity…”
After the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876, Sitting Bull led the Sioux into southern Manitoba to escape reprisal by the U.S. cavalry. They wintered near my hometown. This went unmentioned in history class. We were told instead to memorize the travels of Champlain who didn’t come within 1,600 kilometres of Manitoba. Relevancy was irrelevant. “Curriculum is ideological,” as Prof. Dwayne Donald of the University of Alberta puts it.
“Official curriculum ideologies become so pervasive and unquestioned that their followers are left unable to recognize them as cultural and ideological,” writes Donald. He calls this “curricular worship”.
The Department of Industry sped approval of $31.9 million in subsidies and tax credits to a start-up tech firm to “create good middle-class jobs” only weeks before the company laid off employees, Access To Information records show. The deputy minister claimed to take rigorous steps to ensure taxpayers’ money was safe: 'This will build upon the failures of previous attempts.'
Liberal MPs yesterday met in their first caucus since the Party lost twenty-seven Commons seats and a million votes in the October 21 general election. “Some of our colleagues are not here anymore,” said Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez. “We have to understand why.”
The Senate budget committee yesterday endorsed nearly half-a-million in funding for a new pro-energy industry caucus on predictions the chamber will see more “splintering” of members. There are now four separate caucuses in the Senate: "It's very early still."
A Crown bank yesterday said it settled out of court with a client over a US$41 million offshore loan it called a mistake. Terms were not disclosed by Export Development Canada: "We're not perfect."
