The Department of Indigenous Services is attempting to verify contractors who identify as First Nations, Inuit or Métis. It follows the suspension of a federal employee who claimed to be a descendent of an Ojibway chief in applying for millions in contracts: "I myself have picked up the phone to speak to the RCMP."
A national ombudsman yesterday dismissed 157 complaints against a British Columbia radio host falsely accused of Islamophobia. The complaints followed a “volatile” call-in segment in which a Muslim guest compared Hamas terrorists to Nelson Mandela: "Not on my show."
The Commons public accounts committee yesterday by a 6 to 5 vote asked that Parliament ban insider contracting by federal employees. Liberal MPs opposed the motion prompted by disclosures a defence contractor made millions while on the Department of National Defence payroll: "We seem unable to call a spade a spade."
A two-man consulting firm based in a private home in Woodlawn, Ont. received a total $107.7 million in federal contracts, the highest figure confirmed to date, Comptroller General Roch Huppé said yesterday. Huppé could not explain why GC Strategies Inc. was able to skirt contracting rules: "You just wash your hands of that? Is that the way it works?"
Repeated reference to ArriveCan as “Arrive-scam” promotes public cynicism, Liberal MP Iqra Khalid (Mississauga-Erin Mills, Ont.) yesterday told the Commons public accounts committee. “It is impacting public trust,” she said.
Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault yesterday skipped a summons for questioning by the Commons transport committee despite two weeks’ notice. MPs had sought to cross-examine Guilbeault over his remarks that Canada had enough roads and didn’t need more: "He is now refusing to answer questions."
Interest rates are high enough, Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem said yesterday. Macklem questioned “how long we need to hold” the current benchmark rate of five percent on interbank loans unchanged since last July 12: "Rates are high enough."
Cabinet yesterday proposed to federalize bylaw enforcement in case of national emergency. It follows claims emergency powers were justified against the Freedom Convoy due to a shortage of tow trucks: "That situation still leaves me speechless."
Federal accountants knew of irregularities in the $59.5 million ArriveCan program but were too frightened to speak out, a union executive yesterday told MPs. Accountants feared they’d be “committing career suicide” if they reported the misconduct they see in federal bookkeeping, said Dany Richard, president of the Association of Canadian Financial Officers: "Our members are afraid."
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s current deficit will be 16 percent higher than forecast, the Budget Office said yesterday. Freeland last March 28 predicted her deficit would “decline in every year of the forecast.” It didn’t: "I don’t know if they have lost control."
Rebel News Network Ltd. yesterday filed a $1 million lawsuit over the January 8 handcuffing of a reporter for attempting to question Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. Police complained the questions were too “aggressive,” Rebel News’ lawyer wrote Ontario Superior Court: "The questions spoke to the federal government’s foreign affairs."
Cabinet’s feud with Facebook cost the CBC millions of website visitors, according to financial statements. CBC.ca had been the longest-running, most popular news site in the country with content uploaded from 1,000 staff, by official estimate: "It is Facebook’s decision."
Federal prisoners have won more take-home pay. The Correctional Service halted 30 percent deductions for telephone calls and other privileges: "The cost of what inmates are supposed to buy for themselves – stamps, candy bars, phone calls – has increased."
Canadians don’t care about media troubles and think subsidies for failing newsrooms would be better spent on urgent needs like affordable housing, says in-house Privy Council research. Cabinet commissioned the poll weeks before it doubled newsroom payroll rebates at another $129 million cost: "Few agreed."
Liberal and New Democrat MPs yesterday by a 6 to 4 vote blocked an ethics committee probe of why cabinet concealed a report into Chinese security breaches at the National Microbiology Laboratory. Conservative and Bloc Québécois MPs sought the investigation: "Why?"
