Finance Canada says despite millions spent it does not know many families have used a Children’s Fitness Tax Credit to enroll youngsters in sport for the first time. An official said it would be difficult to prove whether the credit changed lifestyles: "You spend a bunch of government money to have people do something they were going to do anyway".
The impact of grizzly bears on mining and drilling is being researched by Environment Canada. The initiative comes amid concerns that British Columbia programs to protect grizzlies are inadequate; B.C. is home to the largest grizzly population in the country: "Undocumented killing remains a problem".
A Prince Edward Island woman declared a “vexatious litigant” by the justice system has found no relief from the Supreme Court. The Charlottetown activist waged a decade-long quest to have the government refund her $50 driver’s license fee: 'There were lengthy, confused ramblings'.
Newly-released records show cabinet cuts to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program came only weeks after government polling identified a public backlash against migrant labour. More than a third of Canadians surveyed wanted the entire program abolished; and 68 percent of Canadians said employers abused the plan: 'Raise wages first'.
Two of the country’s largest cellphone companies face a class action lawsuit over nickel-and-dime charges on millions of customers, according to allegations. Bell and Telus are accused of rounding up cellphone billing minutes to charge seven million clients for time they never used: "Why?"
Parliamentary committees have passed a contentious amendment to federal law granting cabinet a veto over operations at Canadian airports. Industry executives cautioned the changes will see political meddling in management of airfields: "That seems rather quaint to say at this point".
One year after cabinet’s withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol, experts have told a Senate climate change forum new federal initiatives are needed to combat greenhouse gas emissions. Canada was the first signatory to the 1997 pact to revoke its endorsement, saving some $14 billion in penalties: "We need to make serious changes".
The Commons finance committee has unanimously passed a federal ban on paper billing fees by telecom companies amid questions on why banks are exempt. Industry Minister James Moore said abolishing identical bank statement fees will require separate legislation: "It's the dog that didn't bark".
The Department of Canadian Heritage is hiring consultants to study the viability of daily newspapers. Authorities ordered a $30,000 report on dailies’ content and viability: “Why don’t they just ask us?”
Two Conservative Senators who voted to kill union bill C-377 say the measure remains flawed, and ripe for constitutional challenge. The two were the only members of the government caucus to support a motion to strike the Conservative bill before Second Reading: “I find it offensive, to tell the truth”.
Seal hunters are asking MPs to expand a security cordon around their annual harvest for fear media and protesters will use camera drones to take video and photographs. The Seals & Sealing Network said media scrutiny is stressful for hunters: “They cannot work as well when they have a camera filming them".
Aquaculture fees are “not the right tool” to regulate the environmental impact of fish farms, says a federal official. A proposed fee schedule to take effect by year’s end will see British Columbia operators pay 10 percent of the cost of federal oversight of the industry: "The world needs fish".
Canada Post reports another surprise quarterly profit, and says original forecasts of a disastrous drop in 2014 revenues appear unfounded. The Crown corporation estimated revenues on its core post office business increased $100 million since January to $4.5 billion to date: 'They panicked and cut, cut, cut'.
One of the country’s largest media publishers has been hit with a $28,000 judgment over trademark infringement. A Federal Court judge cited Black Press Group Ltd. for a copycat publication that violated an Alberta company’s trademark: 'They kept on using it'.
Cabinet will not reopen energy regulatory hearings to the general public despite clashes over a British Columbia pipeline project, says the Minister of Natural Resources. Greg Rickford reaffirmed only Canadians “directly affected” by projects should be permitted at hearings of the National Energy Board: "There will always be a difference of opinion".
