MPs have quietly ended 148 years of parliamentary tradition by agreeing to permit Canadians to submit mass internet petitions to the Commons. The reform will have a far-reaching impact on lawmakers, predicted one committee chair: "This is a huge shift".
British Columbia leads the nation in undrinkable tap water, according to a Council of Canadians survey. Researchers noted the data is skewed by uneven reporting from other provinces, citing by example Prince Edward Island that does not publicly announce drinking water advisories: "We need more information".
Most telecom companies rate poorly on safeguarding subscribers’ personal information and alerting customers when government agencies seek their data, says a University of Toronto report. Researchers proposed amendments to federal law to protect customers’ privacy: "It would be better if this was a requirement".
Hiring of low-skilled foreign workers appeared to be the first choice for many Canadians employers seeking entry-level employees, says the Parliamentary Budget Office. Researchers noted the share of migrants in the national labour force tripled between 2002 and 2012: "It should be the second choice".
Aquaculture lobbyists are responsible for a rewrite of the Fisheries Act that fails to provide a “fair balance” on environmental protection, says a Conservative senator. The remarks came as the Department of Fisheries acknowledged public protest has prompted rewording of regulations favouring aquaculture companies: "There is a tremendous public outcry".
The Treasury Board faces scrutiny over whether its workplace policy violates human rights law. A federal judge ordered the Canadian Human Rights Commission to investigate claims of discrimination against employees unable to work due to disability: "This is not an isolated incident".
Cabinet is enacting new regulations targeting unwanted migrant workers and the Canadian companies that hire them. The amendments precede an April 1 deadline that would see the expulsion of thousands of temporary foreign workers: "Canada is serious".
Transport Canada has been unable to hire enough rail inspectors to keep pace with shipments of dangerous goods, the Commons transport committee has been told. The warning comes ahead of today's release of a long-awaited committee report on rail safety: "The department has been going full-tilt on recruitment".
Canadians face growing income inequality that won’t be easily corrected by federal policies, a Liberal Senate forum has been told. Researchers yesterday said a widening gap between income groups reflected a long-term trend: "The richest 10% earns 30% of the income".
Anti-trust investigators are seeking a $10 million fine and customer refunds from two best-known car rental agencies for alleged deceptive marketing. Avis and Budget Rent A Car face a Competition Tribunal investigation over company fees misidentified as taxes. Blacklock's first revealed the probe in 2013: "They wanted to ask us some questions".
Canadians fear interest rate hikes but are resigned to rising credit costs as inevitable, says in-house cabinet research. The newly-released government surveys also found deep unease with the loss of Canadian jobs abroad: 'There's a sense the economy is delicate, perhaps tenuous, with a wide variety of threats'.
A crime bill endorsed by the Commons would affect five people, officials say. The disclosure came as the bill’s Conservative sponsor said he would simply withdraw the measure after it passed the House on Second Reading by a vote of 183 to 90: "The theme is to be very, very afraid".
Federal regulators lack considerable knowledge on the impact of oil spills, cautions a fisheries department panel. The Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat said the effect of an Alberta bitumen spill in fish habitat is not fully known: "Clean-up doesn't get more than 20 percent".
Only one percent of small and medium-sized business in Canada are exporters and stand to benefit from a European trade deal, a Commons committee has been told. Trade officials said the overwhelming majority of small operators do not have the means to trade: "They don't know what they're getting into".
A Senate panel is appealing to Health Canada to adopt “essential” reforms to safeguard use of prescription drugs and antibiotics. The science committee yesterday concluded nearly three years of research with a call for more proactive regulation of medicines: "The committee was discouraged by frequent testimony regarding Health Canada".
