A federal board mandated to enforce a ban on replacement workers has only 17 members though the legislation takes effect in weeks, according to a Department of Justice memo. The Canada Industrial Relations Board is to oversee disputes in the federally regulated private sector that numbers a workforce of one million: "It will be difficult for us to meet the timelines that are in the bill."
Left Makes Incremental Gains
Both the Communist and Marxist-Leninist parties saw statistical gains in their vote Monday night but were unable to crack the 6,000-ballot barrier. Communists had proposed to tax all capital gains while Marxists urged interested electors to join in May Day parades tomorrow: "Let Canadians know what the options are."
Nt’l Election By The Numbers
Prime Minister Mark Carney last night led Liberals to a fourth term but with another minority government and casualties that included the loss of seven cabinet ministers and parliamentary secretaries. “I have much to be humble about,” Carney told supporters.
No Regrets, Says NDP’s Singh
New Democrat leader Jagmeet Singh last night announced his resignation after leading the Party to the worst showing in its 64-year history. Singh only days prior to the New Democrats’ collapse said he had no regrets in opting against a winter election when the Party was 21 percent in the polls.: "Is that how you want to be remembered?"
Not So Fast On Electrics: Feds
Electric transit buses are so impractical in Canada they require diesel heaters to extend battery life in winter conditions, say federal researchers. The National Research Council studied the vehicles’ feasibility four years after then-Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna promised billions in subsidies to make the “planet safe.”
Tax Holiday Worth 3 Percent
Restaurant and food services receipts increased about three percent over a 60-day GST holiday period, Statistics Canada figures showed yesterday. The tax break cost $2.7 billion, by federal estimate: "Let's help the people."
Scammers Still Active: CRTC
Most Canadians complain internet scamming remains commonplace 15 years after Parliament passed an anti-spam law. CRTC research found more than 7 in 10 were personally aware of criminals using deceptive emails to obtain personal information: "The most shocking thing I’ll say is that Canada’s anti-spam legislation was never going to eliminate all spam."
Greens Admit Nominees Quit
The Green Party acknowledges several candidates withdrew from today’s election to avoid vote splitting that could benefit Conservatives. The admission came in a Federal Court application protesting the Party’s disqualification from televised debates for failing to field a minimum number of candidates: "A small number of candidates, no more than 15, decided to withdraw their candidacy to avoid splitting the progressive vote."
Vows To Work MPs Overtime
The Conservative Party if elected today will bring Parliament into session all summer if necessary to pass tax cuts and reform bills, Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre told reporters. “Change cannot wait,” he said: "The bad news for politicians is your summer vacation is cancelled.”
Graves Made ‘Priority Client’
A British Columbia First Nation was deemed “a priority client” for federal funding after claiming to find 215 children’s graves at an Indian Residential School, records show. The Tk’emlups te Secwepemc First Nation prior to its announcement was repeatedly told by then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government it did not qualify for grants: "It was with a heavy heart that Tk’emlups te Secwepemc confirmed an unthinkable loss."
Vax Injury Fund Over Budget
Compensation for victims of Covid vaccines is expected to go over budget, says a Department of Health memo. The document is dated only days after new figures showed more than $16 million was paid to date to families of patients medically certified to have suffered death or injury after taking a government-approved shot: "The overall cost of the program is dependent on the volume of claims."
Happy For Fed Transparency
Liberals if re-elected will improve disclosure of public records, says Prime Minister Mark Carney. Canadians deserve access to information regardless of who runs the government, he said: "I’m happy to commit to having a review."
A Sunday Poem: “Energy”
Poet Shai Ben-Shalom writes: “Electricity in Ontario, costlier than ever. Some must choose between hydro and buying food, paying rent…”
Review: Moonlight And Fresh Caribou
Ask oldtimers what pre-industrial life was like in Yukon and Northwest Territories and they recall the sound of sled dogs galloping through the snow, the blue gleam of moonlight in winter and smell of fresh caribou steaks drying on spruce boughs.
Anthropologist Leslie McCartney asked twenty-three Gwich’in elders as old as 99. Their stories are chronicled in Our Whole Gwich’in Way Of Life Has Changed, a big, beautiful volume, 848 pages. It is warm and human.
There is a blank space in all history books dotted here and there with guesswork and anecdotes. Missing are accounts of daily working lives prior to the 18th century. There are no written descriptions by workaday Norwegian sailors or Hessian miners or Mongolian herders since ordinary people had no means of writing it down.
NDP Rejected Jewish Appeal
New Democrat Party headquarters yesterday would not comment over its refusal to answer a B’nai Brith campaign questionnaire on public disorder. It was the only Party that would not comment when asked, “If elected, what steps will your government take to ban hate rallies?”



