Blacklock's Reporter

Poet Shai Ben-Shalom writes: “Canadian politicians love the train. They either take Business Class for added room and comfort, or publicly denounce VIA executives…”

In 1895 when the Queen knighted Prime Minister Mackenzie Bowell, once a printer’s apprentice, newspapermen composed a ditty: “When I was a boy I served my term as a junior imp in a printing firm; I washed the windows and scrubbed the floor and daubed the ink on the office door. I did the work so well, d’ye see
that now I’m premier and a KCMG.” Bowell quit school from Grade Four to scrub the floors at the Belleville Intelligencer and wound up owning the company. He was a drudge whose only escape was immersion in drudgery, clocking fifteen-hour days. Years later, when Bowell achieved fortune and fame, he kept a parrot trained to croak, “Wake-up.”

Prime Minister Mark Carney last night avoided questions amid the quick collapse of a much-touted plan to expand Alberta oil exports. Carney’s Québec lieutenant Steven Guilbeault abruptly quit cabinet as critics denounced the proposal as both reckless and ineffectual: "Stop wasting everyone’s time with this political posturing."

A federal dental care plan has gone 50 percent over budget. The Department of Health acknowledged it underestimated the volume of claims now expected to top $4 billion this year: "All this is new."

Canada Post seeks another line of credit from cabinet to cover ongoing losses, Conservative MP Jeremy Patzer (Swift Current-Grasslands, Sask.) yesterday told the Commons government operations committee. “Keep your eyes open,” said Patzer, who did not disclose the source of his information.

Treasury Board President Shafqat Ali yesterday said he could not publicly detail federal job cuts to spare employees’ feelings. Cabinet has said it will cut a tenth of the payroll: "This is a real issue that impacts those public service employees and not only on them, their families."

MPs are demanding the Department of Veterans Affairs account for millions in unpaid benefits for Métis veterans of the Second World War. A $30 million fund approved by Parliament paid only a fraction to old soldiers, sailors and air crew: 'Detail the number of veterans who have received a payment.'

Commons Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia yesterday banned MPs from Question Period enquiries concerning alleged corruption in the provincial Liberal Party in Québec. MPs questioned whether a former federal cabinet minister’s campaign paid $100 for Party votes: "I did not allow the question."

Federally regulated transport employers must conduct business in French as well as English under threat of $25,000 fines, Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault said yesterday. Penalties will be initially enforced on three corporations and major airports nationwide: "French and English, anywhere, anytime."

The Federal Court in a landmark judgment has ordered Canadian National Railway to pay a customer more than $24 million in damages including lost profits due to poor service. The order followed 11 years of litigation and four trials stemming from the near-collapse of grain deliveries in the winter of 2014: "There is little precedent to guide this Court about how to assess damages."

Industry Minister Mélanie Joly, 46, yesterday said she had no interest in any patronage appointment abroad. Joly is one of three veteran Liberal MPs marking their 11th year in cabinet: "Absolutely not."

Canada’s longest-serving MP yesterday lamented 41 years of red tape but thanked constituents for the memories. “I owe them everything,” said Bloc Québécois MP Louis Plamondon (Bécancour-Nicolet, Que.), 82: "Thanks to the people.”

Industry Minister Mélanie Joly never read a Stellantis contract that awarded the automaker $15 billion in subsidies, her deputy yesterday disclosed. Joly had defended the agreement following the company’s October 14 announcement of 3,000 job cuts: "Who is the boss?"

Cabinet may rely on a “rounding difference” to meet its NATO commitments this winter, the Budget Office said yesterday. Prime Minister Mark Carney had promised to spend the equivalent of two percent of GDP on military preparedness by December 31: "It’s going to be close for this year."

Conservative MP Garnett Genuis (Sherwood Park-Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.) yesterday accused cabinet of taking steps to pad job creation figures under the Canada Summer Jobs program. Genuis pointed to a federal guide that recommended employers keep postsecondary students on the payroll for as little as eight weeks: "You’re trying to artificially show a high number of jobs created."