OTTAWA - The Harper government is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars advertising a program that does not yet exist.
(via governmentofcanada)
Source: pewpewlasernipples
The Harper government withheld tens of thousands of documents that it was obligated to disclose as part of a human-rights case in which it is accused of discriminating against indigenous children. Now, it is using its failure to hand over the files to try to get the proceedings put on hold.
The First Nations Child and Family Caring Society filed a complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal in 2007 saying it is wrong for the federal government to pay 22 per cent less for child welfare on reserves than the provinces pay for non-aboriginal welfare services.
Despite many attempts by the government to have the case dismissed, the hearings before the tribunal finally began in February of this year.
But, next Tuesday, Justice Department lawyers will ask for an adjournment of many months while they gather more than 50,000 documents that were required to have already been handed over to the Caring Society’s lawyers under the human-rights commission rules.
Hey so when the federal government got caught illegally hiding 50,000 documents which it was required to turn over for what could potentially be a very large and expensive human rights case, they responded by insisting that they needed the whole proceeding adjourned for months while they collected all those documents.
That’s it. That’s exactly what happened. That’s just how things are now.
(via governmentofcanada)
Source: jakke
Source: governmentofcanadaOTTAWA — Canada’s librarians and archivists are urging the federal government to appoint someone from their own professional ranks to replace the chief of Library and Archives Canada who quit Wednesday amidst questions about his spending.
Daniel Caron, an economist and career public servant, was deeply unpopular with Canada’s library and archival professionals who accused him — among other things — of muzzling his staff and neglecting key areas of the venerable national collector’s mandate.
It isn’t yet clear why Caron left but earlier this week in an Ottawa Citizen story he appeared to contradict Heritage Minister James Moore over whether charging the taxpayer $4,500 for Spanish lessons was a legitimate business expense.
Moore said it was wrong to spend the cash-strapped institution’s funds on private language lessons but Caron responded that the expenditure had been approved and was within government guidelines.
Coinciding with Caron’s sudden resignation was the revelation by the NDP that he had racked up “Titanic expenses” amounting to $170,000 in the past two years — twice that of Moore, his ministerial overlord — from a shrinking budget that had seen dozens of employees laid off and grants to scores of tiny archives across Canada eliminated.
With the dust settling on the resignation, there were immediate calls for a new style of leadership at LAC.
McGill University professor and librarian Peter McNally says the government should consult with associations representing librarians, archivists and historians before choosing a permanent replacement for Caron, who was in the job for four years.
”What has gone on at LAC has been perceived by the professions and academic community as a slap in the face” he said. “People have lost confidence in the direction taken by LAC and the important thing now is to ensure there is credibility at the top — that the organization is led by people with professional credentials — by people who understand the nature of scholarship and the important role LAC is expected to serve.”
“Ultimately it would benefit all Canadians.” he added.
“Pardon my french, but Canada’s tar sands suck.”
(via historyintheworks)
Source: ecowatchorg
Source: isomorphismesPopulation distribution of the United States in units of Canadas.
This is basically the whole point of maps.
Source: governmentofcanadaThe Harper government is quietly seizing greater control of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, while a public advocacy group accuses the Tories of stacking the CBC’s board with political allies.
Bill C-60, the Tories’ budget implementation bill, includes a clause that allows the prime minister’s cabinet to approve salaries, working conditions and collective bargaining positions for the CBC, The Hill Times reports.
The move, buried at the back of the 111-page bill, “appears to contradict a longstanding arm’s-length relationship between the independent CBC and any government in power,” the newspaper said.
The CBC would now be required to get approval from Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Treasury Board Committee for any collective bargaining agreement the broadcaster reaches with its employees. The Treasury Board would also have the power to approve or deny pay and benefits for non-unionized employees.
The news comes as public interest group Friends of Canadian Broadcasting issued a statement accusing the Tories of “stacking the [CBC’s] board with Conservative supporters.”
….
I went and had a look at the Bill myself, and yup, the Treasury Board Committee will have a whole lot of power over Crown Corporations. It’s buried in the Financial Administration Act of Bill-C60 which is available for viewing on the Parliament of Canada website here.
The Canadian government isn’t monitoring whether billions spent on anti-terrorism measures since 2001 are meeting the desired objectives and can’t account for $3.1 billion, Auditor General Michael Ferguson found in his spring report released today.
The lack of information on spending and results identified in the auditor general’s chapter on the Public Security and Anti-Terrorism Initiative is a common theme throughout his report, which includes 11 chapters in total.
A.G. Michael Ferguson, my accounting hero.
So much for fiscal responsibility
Source: governmentofcanada
Source: archaeoadventuretimeI’m not sure if anyone has seen the conservative attack ads for Justin Trudeau, but this one made by my local radio station is probably the best thing ever.
petition to rename the usa ‘south canada’
what about alaska
are we then normal canada
canada a bit to the left
What about South America? Is that just America? Or South South Canada?
What about hawaii
canada a lot to the left
canada island
(via ladyfabulous)
Source: pizzaforpresident
Source: governmentofcanadaMPs in the House of Commons will tackle a terrorism bill Monday, in a debate infused with a new sense of urgency following the Boston Marathon bombings one week ago.
Though Bill S-7 has been in the works for roughly a year, the Conservatives are making a new push to pass the legislation quickly…
Justin Trudeau has been leader of the Liberals for twenty-four hours, and the Conservatives are already running attack ads against him. *sniff* Is that the scent of desperation I’m smelling?
This is also why The Beaver (the magazine of Canadian history) changed its name.
Source: mentalflossr
Homophobic insults force gay restaurant owners in small Manitoba town to close up shop
A pair of gay restaurateurs is closing up shop in Morris, Man., saying they are sick of being the target of anti-gay slurs. Pots N Hands, which advertises “home cooked meals,” opened in the community of 1,700 70 kilometres south of Winnipeg just four months ago.
Ever since, alleges owner Dave Claringbould, he and his partner have been assailed by homophobic slurs, such as a customer asking if his plate of food was diseased.
“They should get the hell out of here. I don’t really like them — the service and who they are,” resident Aaron Kleinsasse told the Winnipeg Free Press this week.
Since word of the verbal attacks first became public, other locals have tried to bolster the new business by eating there or sending messages of support. But Claringbould says he has experienced homophobia in a small town before and knows some people will never change their attitudes. (Trevor Hagan / The Canadian Press)Most disturbing part bolded, italicized above.
Where is Lafayette when you need him?
Stay classy, Manitoba.
Source: news.nationalpost.com
