A federal agency will spend more than half-a-million dollars to survey Grade 9 students on financial literacy. The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada earlier blamed parents for failing to teach children about compound interest and credit terms: "There's a certain irony here."
A Crown agency blames the economy for higher tolls on some of the nation’s busiest cross-border bridges. Fees must offset revenue lost from traffic declines of as much as 20 percent, said the Federal Bridge Corporation Ltd: "Major challenges are being faced."
Air passenger complaints to federal regulators have tripled since cabinet promised to introduce a travelers’ rights bill. Complaints to the Canadian Transportation Agency skyrocketed even as the tribunal ruled it would no longer accept general complaints from consumers’ advocates: "Canadians will know what their rights are."
The Information Commissioner has filed a lawsuit to end a nine-year search for Access To Information records held by a federal agency. The dispute over disclosure – the longest to date – targets the St. John’s Port Authority: “I’d like to see an investigation into the whole works.”
In-house research by a federal tribunal concludes service to the public is slow and mediocre. The Social Security Tribunal commissioned the survey after MPs urged reforms: "None of them are very satisfied."
Health Canada says it will complete by year’s end its special reviews of three common pesticides. The department’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency has already proposed to phase out one pesticide, imidacloprid, as an environmental risk: "We must protect biodiversity."
Blacklock's reporters and contributors pause to wish you a happy Canada 150th. We're back on July 4 -- The Editor.
A federal judge has issued an injunction against an air passenger complaints’ website. The Court ruled parody is no defence against breach of the Copyright Act: "Like all free speech, it is not unrestricted."
Airlines have joined a list of Canadian employers seeking exemptions from the national carbon tax. An industry group said the tax, to take effect in 2018, will result in higher fares: "There is no evidence it will reduce emissions in our industry."
Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly is declining comment on a media creators’ appeal to overturn a costly regulatory decision. Joly’s office yesterday refused to say if the ruling by the CRTC will be overturned: "The impact will be huge."
RCMP are launching an extraordinary mental health study of members. The initiative was detailed as cabinet struck a review panel to hire a new commissioner: "Examples of operational stress injuries are depression, anxiety, phobias and post-traumatic stress disorder or substance abuse."
A federal agency has again been cited for imposing arbitrary fines on scofflaws. The critical ruling is the fourth since 2014 against the Financial Transactions & Reports Analysis Centre: "It is impossible."
Cabinet has ordered the Royal Canadian Mint to strike a commemorative loonie for the hard-luck Toronto Maple Leafs. The new executive order leaves a single Canadian charter member of the NHL to be denied a coin: "Its a blessing and a curse."
Transport Canada yesterday enacted new climate change controls on diesel locomotives. Regulators were silent on railways’ request for a cut in the national carbon tax. Operators of the nation’s few remaining steam locomotives were exempted from greenhouse gas regulations: "In those days nobody was thinking of the environment."
The Senate banking committee warns cabinet should beware of the impact of any U.S. corporate tax cuts. Finance Canada currently taxes corporations at a rate not seen in the U.S. in 80 years: "I doubt if it will get down to 15%."
