Operators of Canada’s aging payphone system must disclose long-distance charges to customers, federal regulators have ruled. Toll charges are unregulated for payphone clients: "This solves a problem that actually exists".
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal against Law Society rules by longtime Winnipeg lawyer Sid Green, 86, a former Manitoba cabinet minister. Green was suspended for declining mandatory “professional development” training after practicing law for 60 years: "This case falls within a time-honoured tradition".
A DNA privacy bill has been reintroduced in the Senate after lapsing in the last Parliament. The Liberal bill would forbid employers and insurers from demanding that Canadians take genetic tests, or divulging the results of previous testing: "The law is well behind the science".
Environment Canada is mapping toxic emissions from Alberta’s oil sands including mercury, benzene and other poisons. The department commissioned the most sweeping review of new pollution data for the industry since 2006: "We really don't have a good handle on emissions".
A trucking company has lost a Constitutional challenge of fines issued by agricultural inspectors. A federal tribunal ruled corporations with “pure economic interests” cannot cite the Charter of Rights in challenging administrative monetary penalties: "The law is clear".
Telecom companies must divulge wholesale roaming rates to federal regulators within 30 days ahead of a promised 2016 cap on charges. The CRTC ordered wireless providers to disclose all rates charged smaller rivals for cellphone calls and text messaging in 2014 and 2015: 'The sooner, the better'.
New Democrats for the third time since 2008 are attempting to legislate bilingualism at the Supreme Court. The party’s languages critic introduced a bill requiring that all justices pass a language test: "They have to be able to understand".
Authorities propose more changes to aquaculture regulations after sanctioning companies’ use of chemicals, says the fisheries department. A review of federal rules follows a 23 percent decline in sales for the industry: 'Hurdles prevent sustainable aquaculture development'.
Canada Revenue Agency has assigned senior managers to check documents after misplacing thousands of pages of records. Information Commissioner Suzanne Legault yesterday cited the Agency for “serious” problems in tracking tax files: “We had a high number of missing records”.
Legislation promised to repeal a 1920 ban on unions in the RCMP will maintain a ban on members’ political activities or public criticism of management, authorities confirm. The Mounties this year began compiling an electronic database of “problem” employees: 'It restricts certain matters from being included in a collective agreement'.
Taxpayers misled by unscrupulous advisers are still liable for 50 percent gross negligence penalties for filing a false return, Tax Court has ruled. Identical judgments came in two separate cases involving claims for fictional business losses: "No one except the most unsophisticated, ignorant, naive and gullible could believe that".
Cabinet will not meet a Supreme Court-ordered deadline to repeal a ban on unions in the RCMP. And even a unionized force will see enforcement of a strict Code Of Conduct that threatens officers with firing or demotion for criticizing management or engaging in political activities: "The devil is in the details".
Cabinet is threatening to expand its blacklist of U.S. imports targeted with punishing tariffs in a cross-border dispute over meat shipments. Ministers acknowlege no trade retaliation action is likely, if at all, till 2016: "Free trade only works when everyone follows the rules".
Parliament must restrict perpetual trademarking of common phrases under an obscure Canadian law, says a Nova Scotian whose complaint prompted a 2014 private bill on the issue. The Trademarks Act allows public institutions to claim monopoly rights to everyday words: "I don't think that is fair, not in Canada".
Cabinet must permit public input on licensing genetically-modified foods, says an advocacy group. The appeal comes as regulators consider approving the public sale of edible engineered salmon, a Canadian first: "There is almost a total lack of transparency".
