Mar 2 2021 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — Federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra’s office says the government has no plans to change the name of Montreal’s airport, despite an online petition calling for the removal of Pierre Trudeau’s name. “Our government’s priority remains the health and safety of Quebecers and all Canadians during these difficult times, and that is exactly what we are […]
Feb 23 2021 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — A once-secret U.S. State Department document suggests that former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau may have asked one of Quebec’s top business leaders to “make it as tough as possible” for the newly elected Parti Québécois government in 1976 and to quietly move jobs out of the province. In a telegram dated Dec. 22, 1976 — […]
Feb 11 2021 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — A Canadian politician could end up being physically attacked or killed if nothing more is done to deal with the rise in hateful comments online, NDP MP Charlie Angus warned today. Speaking during a panel discussion, Angus said incidents like the security incident outside the prime minister’s residence last summer, an attempt by a citizen […]
Feb 3 2021 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — American technology firm Clearview AI violated Canadian privacy laws by collecting photos of Canadians without their knowledge or consent, an investigation by four of Canada’s privacy commissioner has found. The report found that Clearview’s technology created a significant risk to individuals by allowing law enforcement and companies to match photos against its database of more […]
Jan 29 2021 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — Facebook says it would welcome increased regulation by the Canadian government, including rules for what kind of content should — or should not — be allowed on social media platforms. In an interview with CBC News, Kevin Chan, global director and head of public policy for Facebook Canada, said Parliament should make clear what kinds […]
Jan 4 2021 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — Plett travelled to Mexico after posting a Christmas message to YouTube on Dec. 17 that lamented the pandemic’s effects on holiday travel. “For many of us, Christmas is a time when we are used to gathering with family and friends, reconnecting and enjoying one another’s company,” said Plett in the recorded greeting.
Dec 22 2020 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — More incidents involved Alberta than any other province: Transport Canada data. Dozens of passengers on Canadian airlines have been slapped with fines or warning letters by Transport Canada in recent months for refusing to wear a mask on board a flight, with more incidents involving Alberta airports than any other province. A review of Transport […]
Dec 15 2020 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — The Canada Revenue Agency has simplified the rules to make millions of Canadians working from home eligible for a tax deduction. Under the new rules, those who worked from home more than 50 per cent of the time over a period of at least four consecutive weeks in 2020 as a result of the pandemic […]
Dec 9 2020 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland issued a warning Tuesday to Canadian companies that have tapped into the government’s wage subsidy program: the money is to be used to pay workers, not to pay for dividends or executive bonuses. “I want to emphasize … for any companies that may be listening, that the wage subsidy must be […]
Dec 7 2020 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — When Justin Trudeau ran for office in 2015, he promised Canadians a more open and transparent government. An investigation by CBC News reveals, however, that the Trudeau government hasn’t been entirely transparent about where COVID-19 aid worth billions of dollars has gone. While the government has made available high-level aggregate spending statistics, or estimates of […]
Sep 9 2020 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — A Canadian Ranger group under investigation over ties between one of its members and two far-right militia groups has advertised on its website for years that part of its mission is to guard Canada against illegal immigration. One expert says that language on immigration mirrors the messaging of far-right organizations and could reinforce interest in […]
Aug 18 2020 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — Thousands of Canadians affected by recent cyberattacks on the Canada Revenue Agency and federal government computer systems could be vulnerable to other attacks, warn cybersecurity and privacy experts. “They have to be very scared if they have another account with the same password,” said Ali Ghorbani, director of the Canadian Institute for Cybersecurity at the […]
Aug 5 2020 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — The federal government’s new COVID Alert app doesn’t offer 100 per cent privacy and could allow some who test positive for the coronavirus to be identified, particularly those who live in small communities or who don’t interact with many people. When the government unveiled the app on Friday, it stressed that users’ privacy is protected […]
Jul 28 2020 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — Faced with a rising tide of online hate and advertiser boycotts, Facebook Canada will announce today that it is teaming up with Ontario Tech University’s Centre on Hate, Bias and Extremism to create what it calls the Global Network Against Hate. The network, which is to receive $500,000 from Facebook over five years, is being […]
Jul 23 2020 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — Hundreds of thousands of Canadians could be eligible for a lucrative tax deduction as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. But just how many get to claim that deduction could depend on their employers, and on how the Canada Revenue Agency deals with a series of questions raised by the sudden changes that have compelled […]