Finance Minister Joe Oliver is being pressed for adoption of a single bank ombudsman he'd advocated as a Bay Street executive. Oliver’s past remarks were uncovered by a New Democrat MP. The finance minister would not comment: "Will he actually follow what he said?"
Poet Shai Ben-Shalom, an Israeli-born biologist, examines current events in the Blacklock’s tradition each and every Sunday: “George W. Bush presents a collection of portraits: heads of state met in person. the sharp eye of the former president captures revealing views…”
“We can learn a lot about a place from the kind of scandal it generates,” writes J. Patrick Boyer. On that count the Senate fares not too badly.
Its disgraced members are cited for cheating on expenses and lying to their colleagues. There have been no kickback schemes; no influence-peddling; no secret contracts, poisonings or manslaughter.
The Senate merely embarrassed itself in the comic manner of a self-satisfied and slightly pompous aristocrat made to look ridiculous.
Changes to patent rules for plant breeders came amid pressure from Europe, suggests a confidential memo. Agriculture officials refused comment on the document released through Access to Information. The memo indicates Canada was pressed to tighten patent rules while negotiating free trade with the E.U.: "Who's making policy?"
MPs are expressing concern over budget cuts for federal auditors, describing their work as “indispensable”. Funding for the Office of the Auditor General is to be cut by more than $10 million this year compared to 2012: "It's not a good thing".
A federal privacy bill has so many loopholes it will “diminish privacy rights”, says an industry group. The latest warnings came at Senate hearings as legislators expressed growing unease with the bill: "I didn't think it was a big deal but now that I'm found out -- "
Cabinet is proceeding with privatized inspections of weights and measures for the first time since 1877. Industry and merchants will be subject to private checks with “graduated enforcement” and maximum $1,000 fines: "We need independent scrutiny".
More federal agencies are improperly withholding documents in breach of federal law, says the Information Commissioner. Culprits include VIA Rail, for concealing data it used to publish on its website, and the Privy Council Office for trying to bill one applicant $4,000 in employee benefits to retrieve files: "Fewer and fewer people trust".
Canada Revenue Agency faces resistance from tax-filers who refuse to enroll in automatic bank deposit and withdrawal programs. Agency research confirmed a significant number of Canadians will not give the government access to their bank account. Ottawa proposes to phase out paper cheques in 2016: "I'm surprised by the intensity of the sentiment".
A new private bill proposes to appoint a federal health commissioner empowered to examine complaints of federal programs managed by Health Canada. A similar ombudsman operates in the U.K. public health system: "Much work remains".
MPs are reviewing another private bill, the second in a month, to supervise the conduct of Canadian mining companies abroad. The legislation would appoint an ombudsman to probe mining, oil and gas companies: "Even the government recognizes this is a problem".
The Great Lakes after decades of improvement face new concerns, concludes the Commons environment committee. MPs warned of chemical runoff and dumping of sewage into lakes where 11 million Canadians draw their drinking water: "It's more than mildly disturbing".
A federal bill intended to protect Canadians’ electronic privacy instead weakens it, cautions a consumers’ group. The Public Interest Advocacy Centre said the bill strips any incentive to divulge privacy breaches: "There is no reporting to anyone".
Cabinet is fending off calls for direct renewed commitments on housing subsidies amid warnings that tenants face unaffordable rents. The Co-Operative Housing Federation yesterday rallied at Parliament Hill for long-term funding: "This is simply not acceptable in a country such as ours".
A Crown agency mandated to invest in public works, PPP Canada Inc., in five years has paid out just 2.5% of its cash holdings for projects, says its chief financial officer. The fund was intended to ease an urgent infrastructure deficit. Over the same period the corporation paid more than $16 million in staff salaries: "It's becoming obvious this is not going to work".
