Dec 10 2018 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — The Canada Revenue Agency is using a new tool in its battle against tax evasion — one that experts say could radically change the way it pursues tax cheats. For the first time, the agency has used proceeds-of-crime provisions in the law to freeze the assets of individuals charged with tax evasion. Up to now, […]
Dec 6 2018 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — Cyber criminals are shifting their attention from traditional computers to internet-connected devices in Canadian homes, says the government’s cyber security agency. In its cyber threat assessment for 2018, the newly created Canadian Centre for Cyber Security says the growing number of devices connected to the internet like “televisions, home appliances, thermostats and cars” have become […]
Nov 21 2018 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — There is a very real risk of Canada’s political parties being hacked in the lead-up to next year’s federal election, says the campaign manager for one of the country’s largest political parties. “I am worried about the hacking of political parties,” Conservative campaign manager Hamish Marshall told an Ottawa audience Monday night. “I think we’ve […]
Nov 1 2018 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — The next federal election will face “important risks” unless Parliament makes political parties subject to privacy law, Privacy Commissioner Daniel Therrien warned Thursday. “Canadian political parties’ lack of oversight is unfortunately becoming an exception compared to other countries, and it leaves Canadian elections open to the misuse of personal information and manipulation,” Therrien told members […]
Nov 1 2018 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has changed the way it handles credit cards for gasoline purchases after it fell victim to organized criminals and the fraud went undetected for months. By the time the RCMP realized one of its gas cards had been cloned, the crooks had racked up $104,555 in purchases. The force may […]
Oct 31 2018 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — Canada could go through its next federal election without any rules to curb potential abuses of privacy by political parties and interest groups, some MPs are warning. With less than a year to go before the next federal election, Canada’s three largest federal political parties were in the hot seat on Tuesday, fielding questions from […]
Oct 18 2018 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — New regulations designed to ban asbestos will go into effect by the end of this year, however an analysis of the final rules introduced Wednesday reveal they have been watered down from what the federal government originally proposed. The final regulations include new exemptions to allow the military, nuclear facilities and chlor-alkali plants to continue […]
Oct 15 2018 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — With only days to go before recreational cannabis use becomes legal in Canada, Parliament Hill’s own rules governing marijuana in the workplace amount to a confusing patchwork — or, in some instances, are nonexistent. The rules are so disjointed that, in at least one case, two people doing the same job might be subject to […]
Oct 10 2018 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — Canada’s elections watchdog should use new powers to shed new light on the robocalls scandal, says a member of the committee studying changes to Canada’s elections law. New Democratic Party MP Nathan Cullen said elections officials used the robocalls scandal to convince MPs that new powers were needed. “I don’t know why you wouldn’t want […]
Oct 8 2018 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — Sweeping new powers to fight electoral wrongdoing could also be used to get to the bottom of existing cases that have frustrated investigators up to now, says Canada’s elections watchdog. In an exclusive interview with CBC News, Commissioner of Elections Yves Côté said his office could use the new powers it will get when Bill […]
Oct 2 2018 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — Opposition critics are calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government to look into how reliable Canada’s cellphone networks are in emergencies after a devastating series of tornadoes and a prolonged power failure in the Ottawa area left many with little or no cellphone service. Conservative MP Dane Lloyd moved Monday to have the House of […]
Sep 30 2018 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — Advocates are calling for the federal government to examine the reliability of Canada’s cellphone services during emergencies after tornadoes swept through the Ottawa area last week leaving thousands with little or no cellphone service. John Lawford, executive director of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, said Canada’s communications systems are more vulnerable than they were in […]
Sep 18 2018 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s controversial trip to India in February was even more expensive than first reported. Documents tabled in the House of Commons Monday reveal that the nine-day trip cost Canadian taxpayers $1.66 million — roughly 10 per cent higher than the $1.5 million the government reported in June. Adam Austen, spokesman for Foreign […]
Aug 27 2018 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — More has to be done to prevent foreign interference and abuse of social media from disrupting Canada’s elections, says Canada’s chief election watchdog. In his annual report tabled in Parliament last week, Commissioner of Elections Yves Côté said he has already begun to prepare for possible threats to next year’s federal election.
Aug 14 2018 — Elizabeth Thompson — CBC — The Canadian government is talking to the U.S. government about the impact a retroactive tax signed into law by U.S. President Donald Trump is having north of the border, Finance Minister Bill Morneau revealed Monday. Speaking to reporters in Windsor, Ontario, Morneau said he is aware that some of the U.S. government’s tax changes affect […]