Members of the Senate social affairs committee yesterday expressed frustration with vague terms of a $1.25 billion homebuyers program. Senators complained they are expected to pass the bill without knowing the true cost to taxpayers, or viability of the program: "We don’t have a lot of time to understand what is a major piece of legislation."
Health Canada is commissioning its first national survey of 48 colleges and universities on students’ marijuana use. Staff cited ‘intense interest’ since Canada became only the second country after Uruguay to legalize recreational cannabis: "There is intense policy and scientific interest in collecting data."
A federal judge has faulted the Canada Revenue Agency for pocketing interest on a $1 million tax payment they had no right to claim in the first place. Courts have issued contradictory rulings on whether taxpayers who overpay are owed interest charges: "This is a normal right of the taxpayer."
Industry Minister Navdeep Bains yesterday would not speak to reporters after acknowledging he was contacted by a “friend” seeking federal subsidies. Bains’ unusual admission points to “the culture that needs to be cleaned up in Ottawa,” said an MP: "It's all very comfortable."
A Maclean’s contributor whose writings prompted repeal of federal human rights investigations of internet speech yesterday appealed to the Commons justice committee to let the law alone. Mark Steyn described rights tribunals as “pathetic rubber-stamp jurists” that would stifle free speech: "To hell with that, sir."
Privatization of Canada’s airport screening service looks like a “toll booth operation”, a Liberal senator yesterday told the Senate transport committee. “What about the consumers?” asked Senator Dennis Dawson (Liberal-Que.). “Consumers are being left out.”
The chair of the Commons industry committee yesterday said he's positive there were no leaks of a confidential report on the Copyright Act. The substance of a key committee recommendation was cited by an Ottawa blogger four days before the report was published: "I was very clear as chair that nothing could be leaked."
The Commons public accounts committee is due to vote tomorrow on a New Democrat proposal to increase funding for the Office of the Auditor General. Staff complained they are so short of money they must cut audits: "Even Stephen Harper, for all he gets demonized around here, didn’t do this," said a New Democrat MP.
Voters should beware of a newspaper bailout regardless of which party wins the October 21 general election, a Conservative MP yesterday told the Commons. “Somebody who votes NDP or Green should have a huge concern,” said MP Michelle Rempel (Calgary Nose Hill): “They would have a very hard time standing up here arguing for, let us say, Stephen Harper having control over the Canadian media.”
The Department of National Defence has threatened to sue Canadians that make patriotic use of the Support Our Troops slogan, according to Access To Information records. The department trademarked the yellow ribbon emblem under an obscure provision of the Trademarks Act: "This 'official marks' category is weird."
Canadian regulators are considering a national insurance pool for a million homeowners who live on flood plains, the Commons environment committee was told yesterday. The scheme would be cheaper than the current “ad hoc system of bailing out those in harm’s way with taxpayer dollars”, said an Insurance Bureau of Canada executive.
A Conservative MP who sponsored regulations to limit select accounting fees yesterday praised the Canada Revenue Agency for a $100 cap on consultants’ charges. MP Cheryl Gallant (Renfrew-Nipissing, Ont.) said tax consultants built a “cottage industry” by over-charging the disabled: "I think a hundred dollars is generous."
The Commons industry committee yesterday recommended Parliament raise statutory damages for copyright theft, but cautioned against overly-restrictive limits on copying. MPs acknowledged their report would not satisfy creators or publishers: "No single stakeholder may find it entirely satisfactory."
The Commons yesterday effectively killed an animal cruelty bill passed by the Senate last June 19. MPs adjourned debate without a Second Reading vote in the final days of the current Parliament: "I am really disappointed."
The Canada Revenue Agency in an unprecedented regulation proposes to cap selective fees charged by private accountants and tax advisors at a hundred dollars. Consultants said the rule affecting more than 60,000 firms will drive many out of business: "What $100 will do is eliminate the industry."
