Federal inspectors are pressing for updated safety regulations affecting hundreds of thousands of Canadian who travel by float plane. Rules call on crews to undergo more thorough emergency training and provide shoulder harnesses for all passengers.
A union representing 187,000 federal employees is appealing to cabinet to reconsider restrictions on right-to-strike provisions of federal law. The changes were inserted in a 309-page omnibus budget bill: "Extraordinary."
Public Safety Canada is imposing a 42¢ tax on federal inmates to pay for prison telephone systems. Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney declined an interview on the compulsory fee to be charged all inmates whether or not they make a phone call: “Punishment, punishment, punishment.”
Regulators are targeting telemarketers who bypass call-display technology in a practice called “spoofing”. The CRTC said it will work with the U.S. and Britain in a first attempt at a coordinated crackdown: "There is a lot of cross-border, fly-by-night activity that goes on."
MPs will consider a private bill to delete all negative, partisan or self-promotional references from federal advertising. Legislation introduced in the Commons would require that ads be vetted by an advertising commissioner: "It's called propaganda."
The House of Commons has paid tribute to the nation’s longest-serving municipal politician. MPs noted the passing of a former Ontario parks commissioner who served a record 52 years in elected office: "If we had more politicians like him things would be a lot better off."
A Department of Finance-friendly think tank is urging regulators to oppose “intervention” on retail credit card fees. The Macdonald-Laurier Institute reported any controls would have far-reaching impact on the nation’s economy: 'It's not some global conspiracy'.
Cabinet will press ahead with limits on federal employees’ right to strike despite an impending Supreme Court appeal on whether the measure is illegal. Treasury Board President Tony Clement said he would not pause for the court’s judgment: "I represent a national government."
Cabinet is quiet on appeals for limits on trans-Atlantic bidding for government contracts under free trade with the European Union. However one trade official tells Blacklock's that contracts will be "opening up" to EU bidders: "There will be more competition."
Canada’s largest labour organization is citing cabinet for secrecy over changes to workplace health and safety coverage inserted in the 176th page of a budget bill. Labour Minister Kellie Leitch would not speak to reporters on the measure: "What reason do they have to implement this?"
Industry Canada is opposing a bill to require mandatory disclosure of corporate breaches of privacy under threat of half-million dollar fines. The bill's author noted current federal law does not require that Canadians be told when their private information is leaked or pilfered.
Independent merchants say regulators must review growing consolidation in the grocery trade following approval of the latest mega-merger. The Competition Bureau declined an interview on calls for scrutiny of retail food: "Somebody needs to look at it."
Cabinet is quietly restricting health and safety coverage for 800,000 workers. An obscure notice on the 176th page of a budget bill proposes a redefinition of workplace “danger” under the Canada Labour Code to repeal coverage for long-term illness and other perils: “It seems like a sneaky and subversive way to gut the Code.”
Cabinet is raising fines on companies that make false claims for a tax credit dubbed an “open bar” for Canadian industry. The penalties apply to dubious applications for the Scientific Research & Experimental Tax Credit: "There's been a lack of oversight."
In an impending clash over right-to-strike, cabinet introduced a bill that casts any federal employee as an “essential” worker forbidden from picketing. The bill was introduced as the Supreme Court agreed to weigh a similar Saskatchewan law struck down as unconstitutional: 'It's a far-reaching attack'.
