The Commons government operations committee yesterday by unanimous vote censured an ArriveCan supplier for refusing to name secret contacts. MPs repeatedly asked for names of federal managers who cut sweetheart contracts worth millions: "Refusal to answer questions or failure to reply truthfully may give rise to a charge of contempt in the House."
MPs yesterday summoned Defence Minister Bill Blair for questioning on how an employee became a millionaire while moonlighting as an Indigenous contractor. Members of the Commons government operations committee gave Blair until month’s end to appear for cross-examination: "It is wrong."
Reinstating visas for air passengers from Mexico will save Canadian taxpayers $660 million a year, the Department of Immigration said yesterday. Millions would have been spent investigating bogus refugee claimants, it said: "Claiming asylum, not visiting, was the true purpose of travel."
Federal inspectors yesterday recommended Railway Safety Act regulations ban workplace drinking after blaming an impaired traffic controller for a 2021 train wreck. The Transportation Safety Board earlier went to Federal Court to compel Canadian National Railway Co. to cooperate with its investigation in the case: 'He was either drinking at the beginning of his shift or before work.'
The Department of Public Works in a briefing note claims ArriveCan charges were “fair and reasonable” despite irregularities and multi-million dollar cost overruns. Anita Anand, the public works minister at the time of ArriveCan spending, earlier told reporters she was not to blame: "Did you know about any of this?"
A Roman junket last July by the Senate agriculture committee cost taxpayers nearly $45,000, records show. Senator Robert Black (Ont.), chair of the committee, said the trip was no holiday: "That won’t be a good look."
The insolvent SaltWire Network newspaper chain, largest in Atlantic Canada, pocketed taxpayer subsidies while failing to pay its taxes, court records show. The CEO earlier testified the chain was “vital to our democracy.”
Cabinet is “committed” to mandating insurance for property owners on flood plains, says the Department of Public Safety. Flood damage should not be charged to taxpayers through disaster aid, said a briefing note: "Canada is taking steps to prioritize flood risk."
The Federal Court of Appeal has dismissed claims immigration fees breach Charter rights. Lawyers had sought to certify a class action lawsuit claiming mandatory fees were akin to the 19th century Chinese head tax: "That is not what we are dealing with here."
Peter Routledge, Canada’s chief bank inspector, yesterday issued a directive ordering bankers to begin assessing mortgage holders at risk of default “effective immediately.” Canada has not had a bank failure in 39 years: "Begin testing to estimate potential losses."
Organized crime is active in Canadian ports, says an RCMP report. Police have sought new powers to conduct mandatory background checks on all port workers including federal Customs agents: "We need to take a hard look at the security of our ports."
The Communist Party and other groups are lobbying the Commons to support a motion accusing Jews of war crimes. Activists publicly claimed credit for “tirelessly pressuring” Liberal MP Julie Dzerowicz (Davenport, Ont.), chair of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association, to change her view of the Hamas war: "Julie’s newfound support for an arms embargo is a direct result of our organizing!"
Pandemic lockdowns doubled small business loan defaults under a federal program, new data show. The scope of losses on taxpayer-backed loans was expected to worsen due to “a certain time lag.”
Jews have filed a discrimination lawsuit against federal meat inspectors over new guidelines they say threaten the entire production of kosher meats in Canada. Kosher processing has already fallen 89 percent under new Guidelines, petitioners told the Federal Court: "Freedom of religion does not require citizens to change or abandon their religious beliefs,"
Canadian medicare is so bad people consider it frightening, say in-house research by the Department of Health. The national survey found Canadians were typically afraid they would never receive life-saving treatment when needed: 'Participants have fears about access to services and delays in tests or treatment.'
