Cabinet is trying to “put the house in order” on borrowing, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said yesterday. Champagne did not explain past misses on deficit targets: "We are a nation that does big things." READ MORE
MPs Stand By Budget Officer
The Commons government operations committee yesterday in a rebuke to cabinet voted 5 to 4 to recommend reinstatement of ex-Budget Officer Jason Jacques a week after his dismissal. Liberal MPs opposed the motion: "You know something is going to break." READ MORE
Need ‘Solid Proof’ On Graves
Canadians are owed “solid proof” of unmarked graves at Indian Residential Schools, Alberta Senator Scott Tannas said yesterday. “How do we address deniers when we don’t have any kind of solid proof?” Tannas asked the Senate committee on Indigenous peoples: "How do you see this ending?" READ MORE
CBC’s Silent On Blacklisting
The CBC yesterday would not release an internal guide detailing which public figures are banned from interviews by the news department. Travis Dhanraj, a former CBC-TV host, told the Commons heritage committee he had seen the guide and a companion blacklist of 45 names: "Do not go near these people." READ MORE
Report Seek More EI Benefits
A Commons committee yesterday proposed sweeping changes to Employment Insurance. Temporary benefits for the jobless should offer “equitable income replacement that respects the dignity of workers,” it said. READ MORE
Counts Trees In NATO Target
Defence Minister David McGuinty included costs of tree-planting in attempting to meet a minimum 2 percent NATO target on military spending, Access To Information records show. The defence department still fell billions short: 'It's for the ongoing planting of approximately 14,450 trees at strategic locations.' READ MORE
Vow No Hi-Speed Overrun
The Department of Transport promises its $90 billion regional high speed rail venture Alto will never go over budget. The department in a report to senators said “challenges are expected,” but did not elaborate: "How will Transport Canada make sure?" READ MORE
Guest Commentary
Competition in journalism rests on fair play, transparency and integrity. Parliament in 2019 amended the Income Tax Act to subsidize daily news media on a promise taxpayers’ aid was temporary and transitional. Temporary, transitional aid is now a permanent, secret subsidy for 141 news corporations. It is the only federal program of its kind that does not mandate disclosure of actual payments. If recipients of $2,500 Canada Student Loan subsidies are named under proactive disclosure, taxpayers are owed similar transparency for newsrooms receiving payroll rebates up to $29,750 per employee.
