Cabinet is requesting that MPs undertake a winter-long report on rail shipments of dangerous goods with a mandate to suggest reforms in 2014. The "starting point" will be the fatal Lac-Mégantic wreck, said the vice chair of the Commons transport committee: "What's going to happen in the next 12 to 15 years?"
The Department of Finance has formally apologized for mistakenly doubling taxes on credit unions. Senior officials told the Commons finance committee they were sorry for the mistake, which required an Act of Parliament to remedy: "We do apologize for that error."
Agriculture Canada is keeping an eye on railways’ performance in shipping the first bumper crop since Parliamentary passage of a rail service reform bill. The department said it is “closely monitoring" the shipment of this year’s Prairie harvest following complaints of haphazard service: "They know we are watching."
Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz says the notion of retirement is now so vague he has acquaintances working past 65 to meet expenses. Poloz told a Senate committee he's concerned by trends in the nation's aging population: "I too know people who have decided to stay in the workforce longer than they originally planned."
Federal staff acknowledge landmark revisions to labour laws were written without consulting any business, union or legal analyst. Critics caution the amendments upset decades-old policies on right-to-strike and workplace safety: "It seems kind of a curious way to make policy."
The Department of Fisheries is levying $815,000 in new fees on B.C. aquaculture but stopped short of proposing national legislation to standardize fish farming practices across Canada. The drafting of a fee schedule followed years of study: "How are we supposed to make any progress on the real issues?"
Transport Canada is ordering railways to publicly report shipments of dangerous goods through towns and cities. However more substantial amendments to the Rail Safety Act are still awaiting the outcome of a probe of the Lac-Mégantic wreck, said the transport minister: "I expect we'll talk about it some more."
Social Development Minister Jason Kenney says cabinet is “giving people the shelter they need”, but would not commit to renewal of subsidies for 200,000 low-income households. Advocates caution that tenants may face eviction without federal support of below-market rents: "Are we going to tackle this problem?"
A Euro trade pact is needed to stem a 20% decline in transatlantic seafood exports, the Fisheries Council has told MPs. The industry group called the tentative agreement “a game-changer” for producers of B.C. salmon, Prairie pickerel, and Atlantic shrimp, lobster and mackerel: "Right now we're not in the game."
Industry Minister James Moore is silent on withering criticism from business over a federal anti-counterfeiting bill. Executives and attorneys told a Commons committee the legislation is so clumsy it would be simpler for property owners to buy counterfeiters' goods and destroy the shipments: "I just don't have any comment on that right now."
Environment Canada is being cited by industry, science and advocacy groups for failing to comply with its own standards. Delegates to a University of Ottawa conference said regulators had largely failed: “Industry requires government to do its job.”
Virtually all telecast blackouts of pro sports would be outlawed under proposed amendments to the Broadcasting Act. The Commons saw introduction of a private bill to forbid TV blackouts of any sporting event from a subsidized venue: "We've already paid for it."
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has quarantined two Atlantic fish farms and ordered the destruction of thousands of salmon to stem an infectious virus. Up to 3,700 tonnes of fish will be destroyed to stop the spread of infectious salmon anaemia.
A Euro trade pact may have unintended consequences, says the nation’s largest private sector trade union. Executives of Unifor told MPs procurement rules could cost local suppliers as contracts are put to transatlantic tender: "It's the first bilateral trade agreement that binds our provinces, territories and municipalities."
Drug companies must notify Health Canada of production shortages or pay $10,000-a day fines under a private bill introduced in the Commons. The legislation follows a 2012 slowdown at a generic drug factory that led to rationing of painkillers and antibiotics: "There is not really any accountability."
