About a third of Canadians remain indifferent to official bilingualism though it has been an Act of Parliament since 1969, says newly-released research. The Department of Canadian Heritage survey found 39 percent were indifferent when asked if they’re keen to “know more about Francophone communities.”
One major airport leads the nation in wait times for travelers to clear customs, according to Access To Information records. Vancouver International more than doubled other airports with the number of times travelers stood in line for up to an hour: 'A 20-minute wait is not always possible.'
VIA Rail for the second time in a month is being faulted by regulators for poor customer service. The latest complaint involved a passenger who claimed staff were “rude and aggressive” when she asked for help in boarding a train: "Service providers have a duty."
The Federal Court confirms an unidentified employee used a courthouse computer to edit Blacklock’s Wikipedia page. The edits occurred the same day a judge issued a $65,000 cost award against Blacklock’s for attempting to halt unauthorized distribution of copyright works by federal employees. The Attorney General’s department admits it leaked the $65,000 decision to a blogger and Globe & Mail columnist: “Set a higher bar for openness and transparency.”
British Airways is ordered to pay thousands in compensation to Canadian travelers whose tickets were cancelled. The order by the Transportation Agency follows a federal report critical of a complaints-based system that requires air passengers to take individual cases to the tribunal: 'It is producing suboptimal, piecemeal outcomes for industry, consumers and the regulator alike.'
A federal agency mandated to track down war criminals is deporting more suspects than its prosecuting, data show. The justice department unit said it has deported 17 accused war criminals: "Are we living up to our international obligations?"
Library & Archives Canada is investigating ways to publicly release its mammoth sound and film collection now stored in warehouses. Staff contacted Google Canada Inc. to post archival material on the web: "The movie collection is out of this world."
We wish you a happy New Year. Blacklock's pauses this week for our annual holiday break and will return January 3 -- The Editor
Warmest wishes to our growing community of friends and subscribers for a safe and happy holiday. Blacklock's reporters, contributors and shareholders bid you the best of the Christmas season -- The Editor
Cabinet in a rare Christmas dismissal has ousted the president of a Crown corporation. One staffer yesterday said employees were celebrating the termination of the $175,000-a year CEO: 'I was brought in to clean up the mess.'
Provincial liquor board monopolies have a right to charge markups, a Court of Appeal has ruled. One small distiller challenged a 140 percent markup on whiskey as an unconstitutional tax: "It just doesn't make sense."
An obscure and uninhabited Atlantic island deserves federal protection, says a senior Liberal MP. Cabinet is being petitioned to have a scenic Nova Scotia island declared Canada’s 55th National Wildlife Area: "It's a Canadian treasure, completely original."
Legislators desperately need accurate data on the rising cost of crime and courts, says a Department of Public Safety report. Costs in Canada are estimated among the highest in the industrialized world outside the U.S.: 'Concerns about sustainability of Canadian justice system programs and services have emerged.'
Federal agencies need better information on youth unemployment, says a cabinet-appointed panel. The complaint echoes a 2014 recommendation from the Commons finance committee for improved labour market information for young job-seekers: "Young people often don’t know where or even how to find work."
Federal agencies are again delaying release of data pointing to the failure of a voluntary Sodium Reduction Program intended to save billions in medicare costs. A 2016 deadline to have food processors cut the salt yesterday passed without comment: "Our plan was to release all the data in the fall."
