The Canadian Chamber of Commerce yesterday in a report urged Parliament to spend more on roads and other basic infrastructure. Researchers cited data that Canada’s three largest cities suffer gridlock that has sent average commute times up to an hour-and-a-half: 'They are really strangling themselves.'
A federal judge has faulted Transport Canada for revoking a longtime employee’s security clearance on innuendo and a flawed RCMP report. The Federal Court ruled the department went too far in punishing a nine-year employee with a spotless record: 'To put it bluntly, we don't know why.'
A Senate committee chair says the public expects Health Canada to honour its promise to restrict junk food advertising to children. A department Access To Information memo indicates staff proposed to defer regulations for fear of industry lawsuits: "What is Health Canada's position?"
An Alberta company has filed a federal lawsuit against the Government of Canada and three provinces for mass expropriation of copyright data. Geophysical Service Inc. identified Crown agencies that gave away millions’ worth of company work, or sold it for as little as $759: "It is unbelievable."
Restaurateurs are condemning the federal Competition Bureau for an unsolicited proposal to boost food trucks. The industry says it was neither consulted nor advised of the agency’s report: 'I find this a little hard to swallow.'
The Federal Court of Appeal in a far-reaching judgment has ruled workplace health and safety enforcement may apply off an employer’s property. The rare split decision followed an appeal by mail carriers: "The fact there was a dissent does raise the ante."
Environmental groups have won a Federal Court ruling against Health Canada and four chemical companies over pesticide safety. The Court rejected the department’s bid to dismiss without trial a claim that regulators unlawfully licensed pesticides: "It's a big victory."
Cabinet is expanding post-secondary grants to students by $138.6 million a year after citing rising defaults under its repayable Canada Student Loan program. Write-offs of unpaid loans cost $354.4 million in the past two years: "I hope we’re not going to see the write-offs increase as we expand the grant system."
Transport Canada in a climate change forecast predicts severe damage to northern roads and airfields, fewer snow days in Québec and more wildfires and drought on the Prairies. Average temperatures have increased 1.5° since 1950: 'Disruptions could become more frequent in the future.'
Health Canada is quietly shelving a 2015 promise of strict regulation of food ads targeting children. The department in Access To Information memos said it was wary of a court challenge: “Get industry buy-in.”
A federal judge has ruled a grieving widow who forgot to claim survivor’s Canada Pension Plan benefits will not get retroactive payments. The claim was worth about $13,000: "She had been unable to manage the paperwork."
An angry, five-minute phone call has cost one small business $8,500 following a human rights complaint. A tribunal ruled discrimination is unacceptable even if it “did not involve the use of derogatory language or significant profanity.”
CMHC is accused of pressing housing co-operatives to cut aid for low income tenants in exchange for refinancing. The Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation did not comment: "The fly in the ointment is the CMHC conditions."
CRTC research says mainstream broadcasters continue to give poor treatment to one minority group. Federal focus groups said treatment of Indigenous Canadians is despairing, bleak and stereotypical: 'For example, poor, alcoholic, and sniffing glue or gas.'
A federal adjudicator is accused of bias after laughing and joking with a complainant’s lawyer, and accepting a novelty gift she called “almost pornographic”. The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal member declined to withdraw from the case: "Colourlessness or absolute neutrality is not required in order to be impartial."
