Category: Federal Government

Minister Says Miscarriage of Justice Likely in BC Murder Case, Sends It to Appeal

Federal Justice Minister David Lametti has decided a miscarriage of justice likely occurred in the case of a man convicted of murdering his fiancée in Richmond, B.C., in 1994 and has referred the matter to the province’s Court of Appeal. Wade Skiffington was convicted of second-degree murder in the killing of Wanda Martin in 2001…


Trade Minister Mary Ng Broke Ethics Rules Over Contract to Friend, Commissioner Rules

The federal conflict of interest and ethics commissioner says Trade Minister Mary Ng broke the rules when her office awarded a contract to one of her friends. Commissioner Mario Dion released a report today after the federal Conservatives filed a complaint back in the spring, raising concerns over the fact that Ng’s office awarded media training…


Freeland Sends Ukraine $115 Million in Tariff Revenue From Russia, Belarus Imports

The federal government is channelling $115 million collected in tariffs on Russian and Belarusian products to help rebuild the power grid in Ukraine. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland announced the funding this morning at an international conference in Paris in support of Ukraine. Canada slapped a 35 percent tariff on most goods coming from Russia…


Tens of Thousands of Families Have Applied for Federal Child Dental Benefit: Gould

Social Development Minister Karina Gould says 35,000 people have applied for the new child dental benefit since the program opened a week ago. Gould was responding to an opposition question in the House of Commons about Canadians who are struggling with the rising cost of living. The new benefit is aimed at children under the age of…


Liberals to Consult Public on Merits of a Foreign Agent Registry, Mendicino Says

The federal government is preparing to consult the public on the possible creation of a foreign agent registry as a means of preventing outside interference in Canadian affairs, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino says. The Liberals want to hear from experts and the broader public—including members of affected communities—on whether it should follow the lead…


Feds Launching Task Force to Reform Public-Service Whistleblowing Law

The federal government is launching an external review of the legislation that governs whistleblower protection in the public service. Treasury Board President Mona Fortier is asking a nine-member task force to consider reforms to the federal disclosure process that would strengthen supports for bureaucrats who come forward to report wrongdoing. The review of the Public…


Kenney Upset With Feds Over Coutts Blockade, Texts Show

Former Alberta premier Jason Kenney accused the federal government of leaving provinces “holding the bag” to clear “Freedom Convoy” protesters who blockaded a border crossing in southern Alberta, a public inquiry has learned. Documents released Tuesday by the inquiry looking into the government’s decision to invoke the Emergencies Act last winter include text messages between…


Lawyers Frustrated by Ottawa’s Disclosure of Documents at Emergencies Act Inquiry

Several lawyers at the inquiry into the federal government’s use of the Emergencies Act last winter say Ottawa has been too slow to disclose documents and are raising concerns about a lack of transparency. Thousands of pages of documents have been submitted into evidence at the Public Order Emergency Commission, which is scrutinizing the decision…


Federal Government Doesn’t Know If It’s Reducing Homelessness: Auditor General

Auditor general Karen Hogan says the federal government doesn’t know if its initiatives aimed at reducing chronic homelessness are actually working. In a new report, Hogan says no organization has taken the lead on the federal government’s goal of reducing chronic homelessness by 50 percent by 2028. The report says Infrastructure Canada and Employment and…


Federal Government Formally Bans Top Echelons of Iranian Regime From Entering Canada

The federal government has formally banned the top echelons of the Iranian regime from Canada, with a new, rarely used designation now in place that allows border agents to deny foreigners access to the country. Federal cabinet ministers confirmed during a virtual press conference on Monday that the measure brought in through the Immigration and…