The Department of Canadian Heritage appeared to bend its own rules in funding a war monument to mules and other animals for “giving their lives for our country”. Cabinet subsidized the project under a Commemoration Program intended to honour public figures and national achievement: "Canada might not be what it is today without animal support".
Cabinet is silent on parliamentary demands that it release the draft text of a far-reaching trade treaty. Industry groups including the Dairy Farmers of Canada earlier complained they, too have been denied actual wording of the Trans-Pacific Partnership pact despite having to sign confidentiality agreements: "We're done".
The Prime Minister has commissioned confidential research into selling postal services. Senior staff in a memo to Stephen Harper stamped SECRET reported, “There have been other successful privatizations of national post services.” The heavily censored document was obtained through Access to Information: "To privatize something, one has to show investors they will actually get a return".
First-ever licensing of engineered wheat in Canada would harm exports, says a confidential Department of Agriculture report. The document appeared to undermine work by senior officials in laying out “plausible scenarios” for approving genetically-modified wheat amid public protest: 'The U.S. and possibly Australia would take away our markets'.
Health Canada safety guidelines for cellphone use are being challenged by twenty-two medical doctors. The petition organized by the group Canadians For Safe Technology urges the health department to restrict microwave radiation in schools and other places “where children are regularly exposed”.
A Commons committee probe of rail safety prompted by the Lac-Mégantic disaster now appears to be going out with a whimper, says an MP. Transport Minister Lisa Raitt asked for the investigation last November 18: "It's a game".
The Nunavut Planning Commission is protesting an end to federal funding for land use hearings that have reviewed environmental impacts and resource claims in the territory. Local authorities say they require a budget to complete a longstanding land use plan this autumn: "It is a commitment".
A federal judge has cited FINTRAC, the federal anti-terror watchdog, for fining a realtor $27,000 for inadequate paperwork. Authorities found no evidence of criminality, but charged the broker for failing to fill out forms and train his staff in detecting terrorist financing: "It is not fair; we are trying to make a living here".
Property owners face higher insurance costs under new federal guidelines on earthquake coverage, says a senior actuary. The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions has ordered national insurers to set aside billions in new reserves to cover possible claims from twin quakes in Québec and B.C.: "You're being required to buy more reinsurance than you need".
The Department of Justice has opened another front in a multi-million dollar court battle over alleged favoritism in airport X-ray screener contracts. Government lawyers filed an appeal over the award of costs to Rapiscan Systems Inc., a supplier of X-ray machines that complained of contracting by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority: "It's decision was unfair".
Canada must establish a national panel on education, says the Council of Chief Executives. The group in a critical report noted Canada is feeble in higher learning compared to other federations like Switzerland: 'We are the only country in the world without a national ministry of education'.
Canadians receiving tax refunds and benefits cheques will not be denied payment if they refuse to surrender bank account information to the government, says Public Works Canada. The department said a website notice that Canadians “must” enrol in direct deposit does not reflect policy: “Everyone will receive the payments that are owed”.
Transport Canada is ordering railways to publish secretive safety plans following union complaints of concealed self-regulation. New rules will see CP Rail, Canadian National and VIA Rail divulge details of their Safety Management Systems to unions, and guarantee no reprisals against workers who report infractions: "It's a complete rewrite".
A photojournalist has lost a court bid against paying CBC legal costs in a case stemming from the network’s breach of the Copyright Act. Catherine Leuthold saw the CBC broadcast her photos without permission, then faced some $80,000 in attorneys' fees after refusing an out-of-court settlement: "I'll let others judge whether the CBC should pursue this".
Port authorities must plan for earthquakes and tsunamis, a 2014 Port Security conference has been told. Geologists and insurers caution Atlantic and Pacific ports are vulnerable to disaster near the nation’s two most dangerous earthquake zones: "We have to get the carriers all together".
