Drunkenness is no defence against arson, the Supreme Court has ruled. Justices in a unanimous 7-0 decision rejected the claims of a Brockville, Ont. man who said he was too drunk to realize he’d burned down his ex-girlfriend’s home: "It should not mitigate responsibility".
A Commons bill would mandate a yearly statistical analysis of living conditions for people over 65. The proportion of pension-age Canadians is forecast to rise from 15 to of 24% of the country within a generation: "Canadians have a right to be worried".
Canada should consider a universal pharmacare program though costs could run to billions a year, a Parliament Hill conference has been told. Delegates speaking to a Liberal Senate Caucus session said an aging Canada faces rising expenses of pharmaceutical drugs: "“It is just a question of how many billions".
Baseball Commissioner Robert Manfred is being taken to Federal Court by a Canadian company embroiled in a five-year trademark dispute with the big leagues. The commissioner’s office objected to use of “All Star Baseball” to sell video games: 'It's confusing'.
Onerous federal rules on interns may quash trainee programs, an employers’ group has cautioned MPs. Cabinet for the first time is citing limited intern protection under the Canada Labour Code: "There is a very important balance here".
A private Conservative bill to repeal the little-used threat of jail for Canadians who refuse fill out census forms has failed in the Commons. MPs last night adjourned debate on the measure without allowing it to come to a final vote: "I would have thought the world had evolved".
Less than a quarter of Canadians attend November 11 services despite millions spent on ads and promotions, says Department of Veterans Affairs research. The department’s in-house polling found most Canadians said they "participated" in remembrance by watching TV: "The results will help guide the department".
A federal judge has upheld Transport Canada’s right to revoke airport security clearance for a flight attendant who'd worked in a biker bar. The ruling follows a series of lawsuits involving transport workers who lost their jobs on suspicion of criminality: "My client no longer gets to do the job she was qualified to do, and thoroughly enjoyed doing".
Veterans’ groups are protesting a cabinet plan to honour War of 1812 casualties in the nation’s most revered hall of remembrance for war dead. Canadian veterans of the Vietnam War, who are disqualified from a similar tribute, said the decision smacked of a double standard: "I don't understand this".
An Arctic grocers’ subsidy is undergoing a promised review to find if discounts are benefiting consumers. The Department of Northern Affairs yesterday said it will contract a claims processor to randomly check subsidy payments: "The objective of the program is to pass the subsidy on".
A federal employee mistakenly paid thousands of dollars in bonuses must return the money though it took the government seven years to notice the error, a tribunal has ruled. The dispute followed automatic payments to a former Department of Veterans Affairs manager of financial benefits: "It was most unfortunate".
MPs say they are unable to reach a consensus on a report citing the perils of marijuana. Health Canada’s own surveys show many Canadians are ambivalent about cannabis use: "It was no longer seen as a substance that only the ‘druggies’ use".
A minor change in Health Canada label regulations that was 10 years in the making is being hailed by health advocates. The department says it will clarify which oat products can be promoted as gluten-free: "It sounds like a tiny distinction but it is actually significant".
Friends Of Canadian Broadcasting has settled a copyright claim after republishing media news content without the owners’ permission or licensing agreement. The advocacy group claimed “fair dealing” under the Copyright Act in freely publishing paywalled news on its website: “Reporters deserve to be paid for their work”.
The full Senate is taking up Bill C-377 for the first time since a failed bid by the Conservative majority to limit debate on private bills. Current rules permit any filibuster of the contentious bill that would force all unions to disclose confidential data: "Once you force a vote, the majority will win every time".
