Blacklock's Reporter

A former track star nominated to be immortalized on a Canadian banknote wrote race-tinged commentaries on black athletes as “coloured gals” and “dusky sprinters”, and made derogatory reference to squaws and Indigenous peoples “yelping” from a wigwam. The Bank of Canada declined to say if it reviewed the writings of Bobbie Rosenfeld prior to her nomination: “We opted for gender equity.”

Health Canada is finalizing regulations for first-ever guidelines on daily sugar consumption. Similar proposals were delayed in the past following lobbying from the nation’s largest supermarket chain, according to Access To Information records: "It is going to happen within a matter of weeks."

Senators propose to rewrite an auto safety bill. The Senate transport committee passed what it described as a small business-friendly amendment to a cabinet bill on vehicle recalls: "It doesn't cost the government a nickel."

The Bank of Canada has no data on the scope of foreign or corporate investment in farmland, executives told the Senate agriculture committee. Researchers at the University of Regina said overall institutional investment is small, but has accounted for 8 to 10 percent of transactions in some municipalities: "The big issue is whether it’s Canadian or foreign ownership."

National transit ridership fell last year despite a multi-million dollar federal tax credit for commuters who take the bus. Ridership declined in nine of the past 12 months, a total 0.6 percent overall, said Statistics Canada: "There have been fare increases."

Poet Shai Ben-Shalom, an Israeli-born biologist, examines current events in the Blacklock’s tradition each and every Sunday: “This three-Michelin-starred restaurant – Le Cinq – offers Parisian style gratinated onions, sea bass with caviar in fermented milk, and iced pistachio in red currant juice infused with Kirsch brandy…”

The Prime Minister’s in-house polling shows few Canadians, 38 percent, support a national carbon tax. The confidential research was obtained through Access To Information: "This data should not be shared".

Cabinet will learn next week if the Senate can amend a $9 billion tax bill. Speaker George Furey is to rule on whether a Conservative majority on the Senate national finance committee was within its rights in amending the Liberal bill: "Rather than trying to destroy the bill, why not make it better?"

More than 60 percent of local authorities and residents affected by energy projects do not trust regulators, says new research. The data follow an acknowledgment by the National Energy Board that changes by the last Parliament compromised its work: 'There's a lack of confidence'.

MPs must pass a DNA anti-discrimination bill as is, the Canadian Medical Association has told legislators. Doctors yesterday told the Commons justice committee that delays or amendments will compromise patients: "That fear is very real".

Cabinet will introduce promised reforms to the Access To Information Act within months, says Treasury Board President Scott Brison. Canadians will gain expanded access to records held by Parliament, courts and cabinet: "In 2017 we'll have new legislation".

An increase in Canada Pension Plan premiums will impact about 12,000 jobs in the short term, says a Department of Finance report. Officials said losses would be temporary and overtaken by employment gains in the long run: "It depends on employers' attitudes'.

Conservative amendments to a tax bill that’s already taken effect are unconstitutional, says a member of the Senate national finance committee. Senators in a 9-3 committee vote made technical changes to a Liberal bill that has been in force since January 1: "Who are we to decide we just don't like it?"

Cabinet is hiring private stenographers to monitor parliamentary committees. The Department of Indigenous Affairs is assigning contractors to provide quick summaries of comments within 120 minutes of Commons and Senate committee meetings: "I don’t think this has ever been done before".

Energy giant Husky Oil Operations Ltd. is in court to block release of what it claims is confidential information by a federal agency. The Canada-Newfoundland & Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board earlier faced a similar lawsuit by another company, Suncor Energy Inc., over disclosure of public records: "I can't say what we're filing to protect'.