Federal employees awarded paid Covid furloughs took an average of almost $10,000 in salary and benefits while off work, says the Parliamentary Budget Office. Total costs were $1,269,900,000 for employees who were neither sick nor working from home: "We’ve made sure to take care of our employees."
Labour arbitrators in separate rulings have recognized National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as a paid holiday even for workers who aren’t federally regulated. The decisions affecting thousands of workers relied on common wording in union contracts: 'It should have been recognized as a paid holiday.'
Even obnoxious speech is protected by freedom of expression, the Supreme Court has ruled in a 5-4 decision. The judgment comes ahead of cabinet’s reintroduction of a bill that would threaten bloggers and Facebook users with $70,000 fines for hurtful online comments: 'Everyone can manifest their opinions however unpopular, distasteful or contrary to the mainstream.'
The federal definition of “fully vaccinated” will remain at two Covid shots for the time being but may change this winter, says Dr. Theresa Tam, chief public health officer. Tam’s remarks followed a recommendation that provinces consider third shots for some five million pensioners: "Do you foresee that becoming the new definition of fully vaccinated?"
Cabinet has given itself 60 days to finalize a multi-billion dollar settlement with Indigenous families over discriminatory welfare programs dating from the 1960s, says Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller. The promise came after a federal judge lamented the “extraordinary proceeding” was ongoing for fifteen years: "I don’t think there is any intention to want to reduce any amounts."
Hazing. Vandalism. Bad marks and raucous protest. This was the campus misconduct of a Toronto student leader who put Quebec tuition protesters to shame. He might have wound up in the penitentiary, but instead became prime minister.
Professor Martin Friedland reveals this wonderful hidden anecdote of Canadian politics, a profile of Billy King, class of 1895. All his classmates called him Billy. Only years afterward did he transform himself into a national leader with four names, William Lyon Mackenzie King.
He was the kind of scholar who double-spaced his thesis so he could pad it out to 45 pages, without bothering to footnote his sources. He was the type of Kappa Alpha frat boy who’d dream up Halloween pranks.
The Department of Finance spent $53,445 to ask thirty-two people what they thought of Minister Chrystia Freeland’s first budget, records show. Freeland polled poorly with seniors who complained the finance minister spent like she had “a money tree some place.”
Liberal MPs yesterday said they endorsed censorship of legal internet content providing there is “proper due process” for Facebook users, bloggers and publishers targeted by complaints. Cabinet has proposed to appoint a chief censor, the Digital Safety Commissioner, to investigate anonymous complaints over content deemed hurtful: "We need a public due process system to manage takedown."
Islam is the nation’s fastest growing religion, Statistics Canada figures showed yesterday. The Muslim population as a portion of the entire country has more than tripled since 1996 but remains outnumbered 9 to 1 by Catholics: "It can influence important demographic factors such as marriage."
Aid to Canada Student Loan borrowers averages $8,000 per year including $6,000 in repayable loans and the balance in grant money, says a federal review of the program. Cabinet in its election platform promised more aid for students: "Three quarters of borrowers, 74 percent, agreed their student loan and grant were adequate."
Cabinet will not demand that federally-appointed judges show proof of vaccination, the Privy Council Office said yesterday. A deadline to have other appointees to quasi-judicial tribunals and commissions disclose their medical status has been extended for a month: "The judiciary is independent."
Canada’s largest “clean energy” utility is paying publicists thousands a week to plant industry-friendly messages on Facebook, blogs and other media. Hydro-Québec yesterday would not comment on the publicity campaign aimed at countering Indigenous critics: "No monies will ever be transferred for citizens to engage in grassroots communications to legislators."
Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault yesterday said he does “not have a secret agenda” as a longtime Greenpeace activist. A cabinet colleague predicted emission targets will bring the greatest economic upheaval since the Industrial Revolution: "It is going to take so much hard work from all of us."
Vaccinated MPs yesterday protested threats of job loss for Canadians wary of disclosing their personal medical status. “Does your employer tell everybody else what your health information is?” one Conservative legislator asked reporters.
Inflation will run “close to five percent” this winter and remain higher than originally forecast through 2023, Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem yesterday told reporters. Macklem stopped short of advocating a rise in interest rates to control prices: "Can you tell them what exactly the plan is?"
