Parks Canada knew more than 150,000 acres of dead pine were left standing in Jasper National Park prior to a devastating July 24 fire, records show. The figures were disclosed in Parliament at the request of Conservative MP Arnold Viersen (Peace River-Westlock, Alta.): “Parks Canada undertook a broad preliminary and broadly scoped search.”
Senators have gutted a Bloc Québécois bill to shield dairy, egg and poultry quota holders in future trade talks. Free trade farm groups opposed the bill as protectionist: “Amendment voids the bill of its substance and intention.”
One of the Commons’ newest MPs yesterday choked back tears in her maiden speech as she thanked home voters for sending a single mother to Parliament. “Taking my place in the chamber is a true honour, an honour that I don’t take for granted,” said New Democrat MP Leila Dance (Elmwood-Transcona, Man.).
More fraud rings have been uncovered in federal contracting, a senior manager disclosed last night. “It would be inconceivable” that more criminality will not be documented in coming months, the Commons public accounts committee was told: “It is something that is going to be ongoing.”
A federal cap on oil and gas emissions will result in thousands of industry layoffs, a draft text of regulations confirmed yesterday. The document contradicted claims by Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson that “there will be thousands and thousands of jobs created.”
Liberals must “stand up to a rise of populism,” the co-chair of the Party re-election committee said yesterday. Tourism Minister Soraya Martinez Ferrada also predicted abortion will play a key role in a 2025 campaign though Canada has not had an abortion law for 36 years: “It remains an issue for you?”
The simple rewording of a definition in one federal regulation may improve health care for millions, cabinet said yesterday. The change revised legal terms of Student Loan forgiveness for doctors and nurses who agree to practice in small towns and country districts: “The change in definition is expected to initially increase the availability of health care services for approximately 1.7 million Canadians.”
The Toronto Dominion Bank has paid a $6.5 million fine for cheating thousands of credit card customers for decades, federal regulators disclosed yesterday. The Bank had improperly withheld fee rebates worth $71,723,694: “An estimated 255,886 customers were affected.”
A pro-Taiwan motion yesterday passed the House of Commons without a dissenting vote. MPs agreed the Chinese Communist Party must not “determine the future of Taiwan” and that Taiwanese should be welcomed into international organizations: “Taiwan deserves a seat at the table.”
Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan, former defence minister, last night testified he was not to blame for abandoning 1,250 Canadians and Afghan allies in the 2021 collapse of Afghanistan. Cabinet to date has not explained why Canada’s ambassador and staff fled Kabul aboard a half-empty military aircraft as Taliban seized control of the city: “We put every effort possible.”
MPs yesterday described New York Consul Tom Clark as a “confirmed liar.” The Department of Foreign Affairs would not say if Clark will resign regarding complaints he deliberately misled the Commons government operations committee over the purchase of an $8.8 million Manhattan penthouse at taxpayers’ expense: “He wanted to live like a king.”
Parliament should penalize Google and Facebook if they fail to identify and isolate “undesirable or questionable” information on the internet, says a Commons heritage committee report. A majority of Liberal, New Democrat and Bloc Québécois MPs complained of “societal harms arising from unregulated social media platforms.”
Chinese-brand solar panels continue to be imported into Canada despite subcontractors’ past links to slave labour, according to court records. Parliament five months ago passed a law requiring that major importers ensure goods are not slave-made.
Parliament must find methods to revoke passports of citizens under investigation for espionage, says a Commons committee. The recommendation follows the disappearance of suspected spies now believed to have fled to China: “I mean, these are Canadian citizens.”
The Mounties have written off millions’ worth of vehicles as scrap metal, new records show. It follows cabinet’s 2021 suspension of police vehicle auctions as a public safety measure: “The RCMP has the largest law enforcement land fleet in North America.”
