A senior Department of Justice lawyer who compared journalists critical of the Government of Canada to animal urine deleted his remarks on LinkedIn. Senior Counsel Alexander Gay, author of the ‘dog pee’ post, earlier told an interviewer he was fit for appointment as a federal judge: "We are capable."
A former Department of Industry manager has pleaded guilty to breach of trust without jail time, RCMP said yesterday. Evidence in the latest contracting scandal showed Marc Primeau of Long Sault, Ont. paid federal contracts to his own company and pocketed a 39 percent profit: "Is it not true at this very minute there are middle men just soaking Canadian taxpayers?"
Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem yesterday said Canada’s economic future is uncertain and warned there “will always be new shocks.” His remarks followed repeated failed forecasts that downplayed inflation risks: "It's not like we got everything right."
The Privy Council Office plans a nationwide videoconference this fall “to reaffirm values and ethics” for federal employees. It follows disclosure of an internal report detailing crude bigotry by managers including use of the n-word: "Racialized employees experience a very, very different public service."
The Department of Justice yesterday had no comment after its senior counsel wrote a vulgar social media post comparing media critics to animal urine. Remarks by Alexander Gay followed a department pledge that journalists “should never be subjected to intimidation or harassment for doing their critical work.”
Federal collection of court fines has collapsed, records show. The Public Prosecution Service says it now collects only five percent of federal fines levied for tax avoidance and other offences: "It’s as if justice exists only on paper."
Liberal and Bloc Québécois MPs yesterday saved Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault from committee questioning over business dealings with a subsidized Montréal company. The Commons public accounts committee by a 6-5 vote rejected a Conservative motion to question Guilbeault: "Where there is smoke there is fire."
The president of the National Research Council yesterday promised taxpayers “the highest standards” on ethics. Mitch Davies’ remarks followed audits of conflicts in green technology funding: "Canadians are skeptical when they hear senior civil servants uttering words like, ‘trust us.'"
Elections Canada has won a Federal Court case over enforcement of its mask mandate in the 2021 campaign. Records show the agency was preoccupied with Covid precautions in the last election: "There was no procedural unfairness."
Privy Council in-house research prodded Canadians to consider raising taxes on the rich, records show. Focus group researchers weeks before cabinet’s April 16 capital gains budget asked people “what they thought of when they heard the term ‘wealthiest Canadians.’”
Lawyers opposing Blacklock’s Reporter in the Federal Court of Appeal abruptly deleted social media posts on the case. The Law Society of Ontario advises lawyers to avoid being “petty” or “intemperate” on social media platforms.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s weekend appointment of two Liberal Party donors as Alberta senators came 35 years after the province held Canada’s first Senate election. The Government of Alberta denounced the patronage appointments: "The Senate continues to lose credibility."
Conventional television remains a loser, CRTC figures show. English language TV revenues last year fell from $1.2 billion to $1.1 billion, a seven percent decline: "How much time do we have?"
Uncensored coverage of court proceedings is “an important feature of public transparency,” a press ombudsman has ruled. The decision came in the case of a British Columbia weekly criticized for publishing fraud allegations against two local residents: "Canada has an open court system."
Blacklock's Reporter pauses today for the 130th observance of Labour Day in tribute to Canadian workers nationwide. We will be back tomorrow -- The Editor
