Blacklock's Reporter

Cabinet will lay off about 500 federal executives in each of the next two years as an austerity measure, says a Treasury Board memo. Departments and agencies hired nearly 3,000 new appointees in the past decade to a total 10,077, doubling the executive payroll to $1.9 billion a year: "Will there be tough choices to make? Definitely." READ MORE

Tom Pitfield, a Liberal campaign organizer named to the Senate two months ago, has yet to take up his official duties. Cabinet aides and family declined comment on the peculiar lapse. Senate Administration still lists Pitfield's seat as "vacant." READ MORE

The Privy Council has declined comment on why it hired the wife of a heavily-subsidized publisher to act as a “senior advisor.” David Skok, editor of The Logic, said he would play no role in coverage of the Liberal government that hired his spouse and paid his news site millions: "We don’t make editorial decisions based on whether it will secure us such funding." READ MORE

All federal scientific research should be Indigenous focused, says a Department of Natural Resources report. “How can we as public servants be actors in reconciliation?” it asked: "Ideally, the decolonization of research implies full Indigenous ownership of research. However it is still hard." READ MORE

Canadians widely support a cabinet bill to restrict social media access for children under 16, according to federal focus groups. A minority questioned enforceability and whether “this type of policy could ultimately lead to increased censorship of the internet.” READ MORE

Blacklock's Reporter pauses today for the 132nd observance of Labour Day in tribute to Canadian workers nationwide. We will be back tomorrow -- The Editor READ MORE

Poet W.N. Branson writes: "Bluster and energetic, apoplexy, burn brightly in the polity. Mustered against the shore, signs and wonders, manifest..." READ MORE