Statistics Canada yesterday defended a proposal to collect personal banking information on 500,000 households – the equivalent of more than a million people – without individuals’ consent. “We have to have high-quality data,” Chief Statistician Anil Arora told the Commons industry committee.
Cabinet has awarded more than $24 million in low-interest corporate loans for electric car recharging stations though few Canadians use them, accounts show. A third of loans went to a single Québec company: 'It is to increase awareness.'
Election Commissioner Yves Côté says he could prosecute media for breach of federal law in a case similar to the National Post’s defamation of an Alberta Conservative candidate. The newspaper paid $650,000 for publishing a mid-campaign commentary by then-columnist Don Martin, now host of CTV News Channel’s Power Play program: "A charge could be laid."
The Senate transport committee last night expressed support for a federal bill to clear Canadian harbours of wrecked and abandoned boats. Transport Canada counts some 500 derelict freighters, barges, fishing boats and other vessels with millions in environmental clean-up costs: "It’s not fair to put that load on the taxpayer."
Canadians rich or poor will receive identical carbon tax rebate cheques next year, officials yesterday told the Commons environment committee. The Department of Industry in an Access To Information memo earlier warned of greater impact on “vulnerable groups”.
A federal Pay Equity Act allows cabinet to exempt whole industries from correcting wage rates, says the labour department. Officials told the Commons finance committee the provision was intended to promote flexibility: "I’m just reading what’s on paper."
Union executives yesterday urged the Senate national finance committee to quickly repeal curbs on federal employees’ right to strike. The Supreme Court in 2015 struck down a similar Saskatchewan law as unconstitutional: "This must be taken off the books once and for all."
Trends in drug prices are unsustainable, a federal regulator yesterday told the Commons health committee. Canadians spent $16.8 billion on brand-name medicines last year: "The best drug in the world won’t bring value to society if no one can afford it."
Omnibus budget bills are now so unwieldy MPs are voting on legislation they haven’t read or don’t understand, say critics. The Speaker of the Commons yesterday ordered that the latest 851-page bill be split into separate votes at Second Reading: "Mistakes can be made."
Environment Minister Catherine McKenna’s claims of climate change fatalities are contradicted by new data. McKenna repeatedly pointed to a surge in deaths in a July heat wave in Québec as proof of the need for a national carbon tax. Figures show the death rate in July was the same as last year. “You see extreme heat that’s literally killing people.”
Cabinet proposes to name and shame scofflaw banks that breach consumer protection regulations, and increase 20-fold the maximum penalty for violations. The provisions in omnibus budget bill C-86 follow complaints of weak enforcement by the federal Financial Consumer Agency: "We were promised a financial consumer code."
Most crime victims never receive court-ordered compensation, says Department of Justice research. Analysis of thousands of orders issued by courts in one province, Saskatchewan, found only about 1 in 10 are paid in full though sums are modest, typically less than $1,500: "I think it is bulls—t."
Canadians are leaders in stealing copyright material online, the Commons industry committee was told yesterday. The Department of Industry estimates 26 percent admit to illegally accessing music, e-books, movies, software, TV shows and video games: 'It is a pervasive problem.'
The Department of Public Works says its government surplus auction website is just as good as Kijiji. Members of the Commons public accounts committee yesterday questioned returns on sales: "Anything that will make us look better, we’ll look at it."
The Canada Border Services Agency has asked travelers what’s in their wallet even if cash amounts were permitted by law, according to Access To Information records. Enforcing Acts of Parliament can be tricky, said one staff memo: "We have received a number of complaints."
