The government aims to collect more than $20 million a year off foreign air travelers under a new visa scheme, records show. The electronic program will impact 7 in 10 airport visitors to Canada, though authorities admit they don't know how it will affect tourism: "This is something that was done in haste".
Two Conservative senators have proposed a fatal amendment to Bill C-377 that would exempt provincial and municipal unions from having to divulge confidential data. The surprise tabling was introduced last night as the Senate opened final debate on the bill: 'This will go in front of the Supreme Court, you can be sure of that'.
Climate change poses a heat risk to sub-Arctic Canada, says the Department of Health. Regulators awarded a six-figure contract to train physicians, nurses and health inspectors on coping with extreme heat: "This is the future".
Censorship of 19th century documents by a provincial government agency is drawing protest from researchers and historians. A British Columbia rule, the first of its kind, compels Canadians to get a court order to see public records dating from the 1880s: "This is very, very, very odd".
A federal search of the Arctic for 19th century English shipwrecks has led to another mystery -- the actual cost of the expedition. Cabinet will not disclose how many millions were spent by the army, navy and Coast Guard, according to accounts tabled in Parliament: "It's pretty disappointing".
Cabinet has quietly passed a new order making it easier to fire or re-hire its Veterans’ Ombudsman. Amendments to 2010 rules repeal a condition granting the ombudsman a minimum five-year term on appointment: "I'm concerned".
MPs have agreed to tweak the Commons code on conflict of interest but concede more work is needed on legislators’ ethics. The 41st Parliament saw two Commons resignations over irregularities: "There's still a lot more to do".
The RCMP is compiling an electronic database of “problem” employees. The program comes just five months after the Supreme Court ordered the Mounties to repeal a 1920 ban on unions: "To be sure there has usually been grumbling".
Health Canada aims to cut Canadians’ sugar consumption 30 percent with a quarter-billion dollar revision to food labeling. The department proposes long-promised reforms – but only to take effect in 2022 or so: "Sugar is in most of the foods we eat everyday".
Conservation groups should seek corporate sponsorships to save threatened species, says an Environment Canada official. The appeal follows a confidential Parks Canada plan to have oil and gas companies sponsor activities in national parks: "He who pays the piper calls the tune".
Marketing executives are accused of misleading lawmakers in opposing a national ban on TV food ads that target children. Lobbyists were cited for “bafflegab” at Senate obesity hearings after claiming a 35-year Québec ban has been ineffectual: "I am a bit skeptical of the industry".
A 21-year old free trade pact with Mexico has yet to produce expected results, says a Senate study. Canada’s bilateral trade with Mexico remains less than half the traffic with Michigan, according to Statistics Canada: 'It has yet to reach its full potential'.
Poet Shai Ben-Shalom, an Israeli-born biologist, examines current events in the Blacklock’s tradition each and every Sunday: “Canada’s scientists claim their government silences them. An interesting hypothesis; but let’s check the facts…”
Parliament’s oldest MP is retiring at 78 after declining to give a goodbye speech to the House of Commons. The all-time seniority record for a Canadian legislator is 102: “I’m not big on farewell speeches”.
Health Canada’s national Food Guide has been compromised by lobbyists and must be revised, Senate obesity hearings have been told. Physicians said the Guide has Canadians drinking too much milk, and substituting sugary juices for raw fruit: "Get industry away from the table".
