The Office of the Auditor General “directed” a sole-sourced contract to a Liberal lobbyist by narrowly skirting rules on open bidding, records show. Terms of the lump-sum contract were so peculiar one employee called it “confusing.”
Ex-Industry Minister Navdeep Bains yesterday declined comment on whether he acted on behalf of campaign donors in “pressing” a company’s proposal to sell China-made masks to the government. The Conflict Of Interest Act forbids cabinet ministers from giving preferential treatment to acquaintances: "Ministers are in a position of power and have a responsibility to ensure this power is exercised fairly."
The Commons yesterday agreed in principle to a private bill banning Canadian exports of plastic waste. Cabinet opposed the bill, predicting it would prevent contracted garbage shipments to U.S. landfills: "We are so far behind we think we are in first place."
Canadians are troubled by Budget Office warnings of mounting federal deficits, says in-house research by the Privy Council Office. Government-commissioned focus groups feared children will suffer as future taxpayers: "Many were troubled by the heavy financial burden that was being placed on future generations."
“Happy holidays” is not a Christian greeting biased against other religions, the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal has ruled. The decision came in the case of a Toronto resident who complained her condo board posted the generic greeting at Easter and Christmas: "The board decided to post signs for holidays it was aware of."
The Office of the Auditor General gave confidential advance copies of its audits to a Liberal lobbyist, say Access To Information records. The Office declined an interview to explain its contacts with registered lobbyist Susan Smith, a CBC pundit and former Liberal press secretary: "That way you can access them from your office."
Cabinet aides last night refused comment on documents indicating ex-Industry Minister Navdeep Bains was “pressing” an Ontario firm’s proposal for a multi-million dollar federal contract. Staff and executives with the company exchanged twelve phone calls and emails in two days: "Only pressing on this as it came directly from the Minister."
Details of billions’ worth of secret contracts with vaccine manufacturers cannot be disclosed, the Public Health Agency said yesterday. Managers said signed agreements had confidential clauses that must not be revealed to the public: "There must be something in these contracts you don’t want Canadians or the Opposition to see."
The commercial air sector will take up to seven years to recover from the pandemic, the Commons transport committee was told yesterday. Air travelers have been warned to expect higher costs long after Covid-19 runs its course: "We have borrowed heavily."
Canadians under lockdown are angry and frustrated with cross-border holidayers, a senior Liberal MP wrote in an email to constituents. MP Anthony Housefather (Mount Royal, Que.) said cross-border travelers should expect restrictions to remain in place for months: "While I understand snowbirds are not just like any other traveler, I do not believe most Canadians see it that way."
The Department of Public Works in five years paid nearly $1.7 million in bonuses to executives managing a bungled payroll system that cost taxpayers billions. “Ensuring public servants are paid accurately and on time is a top priority,” wrote cabinet.
Canadians want freedom to choose what internet content they use and enjoy, a retired Alberta broadcasting executive yesterday told the Commons heritage committee. MPs are conducting hearings on a cabinet bill proposing first-ever regulation of the internet: "Do we need controls, or do we let people decide for themselves?"
MPs yesterday demanded public release of contracts signed with vaccine manufacturers amid uneven distribution of medicines in Canada. Cabinet declined: "The federal government refuses to release a single word in a single contract it has signed."
The Department of Fisheries yesterday said a six-figure expense at a luxury resort and spa was no holiday. Staff billed for training crew at the same time cabinet told Canadians to “hunker down” and stay home: "Parts of the resort utilized by the inshore rescue boat personnel were closed to other guests."
A single department, Public Works, spent more than a million buying work-from-home office chairs and desks for twenty percent of its employees, say Access To Information records. A government-wide pandemic chair giveaway cost more than $36 million: "We will continue to maximize telework for the foreseeable future."
