A little-used federal debt mediation program benefiting a tiny fraction of farmers is costing taxpayers almost $11,000 per application, records show. Auditors questioned the value of the Farm Debt Mediation Service: "The cost of service delivery is increasing."
Canadians rate media as less trustworthy than politicians or police, new Statistics Canada data showed yesterday. Lack of confidence in journalists’ integrity coincided with a $595 million bailout critics warned would fuel public skepticism: “Trust in Canada’s media has never been lower.”
First-ever federal internet controls will not apply to podcasts or other content uploaded by individual “social media creators,” cabinet said yesterday. Exemptions were spelled out in a legal notice by Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge: 'The CRTC is directed not to impose regulatory requirements on podcasts.'
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland faces questioning by MPs over dealings with a Beijing bank dubbed a Communist Party front. Freeland had promised to suspend work with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank five months ago: "Where is our money?"
The Department of Health has completed more than 20 internal audits and reports on pandemic mismanagement but will not release them, records show. Data “revealed critical weaknesses and gaps,” said a department memo: "We continue to take stock of the lessons learned."
Cabinet will not disclose a confidential federal blacklist of Nazi fugitives. Departments declined to answer questions over release of the confidential list promised by cabinet seven weeks ago: "What could possibly be in it that still needs to be classified?"
Parliament should consider federalizing firefighting after a record year for property losses, the Commons defence committee was told. Army volunteers were insufficient, said Alberta’s deputy premier: "As much as we love our armed forces they have very basic training when it comes to firefighting."
Cabinet will spend more than a million on its statutory review of legal marijuana, records show. A final report is due in 2024: "It is important."
The passport office in a report to Parliament graded itself a solid B for customer satisfaction. The claim followed mayhem at passport offices that saw record lineups with police summoned to quell angry crowds: "They claim some sort of success despite the disaster we’ve seen."
The Federal Court of Appeal has dismissed as irrelevant five legal challenges of now-expired vaccine mandates for air and rail passengers. Lead plaintiffs in the case included People’s Party leader Maxime Bernier and Brian Peckford, former premier of Newfoundland and Labrador: "Courts should refrain from expressing opinions on questions of law in a vacuum."
The Canadian Bankers Association wants electronic access to confidential federal tax records to verify borrowers’ income, it says. The Association in a submission to the Senate banking committee claimed the measure would reduce costs: "The mortgage industry is begging for it."
Canada’s last recognized source of exports for seal products is now marginal, the Senate fisheries committee was told. “It’s very hard to sell a product that tugs at the hearts of people,” said an executive with a Nunavut authority representing Inuit hunters: "These are highly emotional campaigns."
Prime Minister Brian Mulroney privately complained his cabinet members were incompetent spokespeople and had to be instructed to “keep the message simple.” Newly-declassified records show cabinet drafted a 56-point memo on how to explain itself: "Communications remained the government’s greatest failure."
Poet Shai Ben-Shalom writes: “A germ found on Mars would force a rethink of history, science, even the Bible…”
Blacklock's Reporter pauses for Remembrance Day observances with gratitude to all who honoured our country. Thank you for your service -- The Editor.
