Bombardier gets federal exemption from sanctions on Russian titanium

Bombardier is now the second large Canadian corporation known to have been granted an exemption from federal government sanctions on Russian titanium. The Montreal-based aircraft manufacturer, along with its European partner Airbus, can continue to use parts containing titanium produced by Russia’s VSMPO-AVISMA, based in Verkhnyaya Salda. During a conference call Thursday with reporters following the release of Bombardier’s quarterly results, CEO … Read more

Trudeau says Sask. residents will keep getting carbon rebate

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Saskatchewan residents will still receive their full carbon rebate payments, even though the provincial government is not remitting the carbon tax on home heating to Ottawa. “Despite the disagreement I have with the provincial government in Saskatchewan on them not wanting to pay the federal government what is owed, the … Read more

Freeland defends budget measures, as premiers push back on federal involvement

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says she thinks unhappy premiers will come around on measures in the federal budget that touch on provincial legislation, even as they push back. At an event in Toronto on Sunday, Freeland — who presented the federal budget on Tuesday — said the national government needs to push ahead on … Read more

Liberal and NDP MPs lament departure of longtime Tory MP as status of women chair

Liberal and NDP MPs are lamenting the loss of the longtime Conservative chair of the parliamentary committee on the Status of Women, saying they hope the change doesn’t hurt their ability to work together across party lines. Members of the committee said they were disappointed to learn that Karen Vecchio, lauded as a collaborator, would … Read more

Ottawa to force banks to use carbon rebate label for direct deposits

Canadian banks that refuse to identify the carbon rebate by name when doing direct deposits are forcing the government to change the law to make them do it, says Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault. Tuesday’s federal budget promised to amend the Financial Administration Act to ensure that government payments accepted for deposit at Canadian banks will carry … Read more

Opposition MPs disappointed by federal budget’s progress on red dress alert system

The federal budget’s promise to spend $1.3 million to develop a regional missing persons alert for Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people falls far short of what’s needed, according to opposition MPs on the House of Commons Status of Women committee. The federal government launched consultations last December to create a national “red dress” alert … Read more

Dentists can bill for federal dental plan patients without signing up for program, government says

The federal government announced Wednesday that oral health care providers who provide services to Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) clients can bill the insurance company directly without formally signing up for the program. In early April, provincial dental associations told CBC News that Ottawa was requiring dental care providers to sign contracts to join the … Read more

How to follow CBC’s federal budget coverage

The prime minister and cabinet ministers have spent the last few weeks touring the country to preview some of the key elements of the budget that Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will unveil in full on Tuesday, April 16. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has framed the budget as one focused on fairness. Here’s how to watch CBC’s … Read more

Canada-China relations committee questions witnesses on Winnipeg lab intelligence breach

Federal Health Minister Mark Holland suggested on Monday that there are gaps in the early stages of screening scientists at secret-level facilities such as the National Microbiology Lab (NML) in Winnipeg.  Holland told the House of Commons special committee on Canada-China relations there is a “responsibility of those individuals to disclose their engagements and affiliations.”  He … Read more

Why the Conservatives and NDP are headed for a clash over Canada’s working-class votes

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s path to power may be by prosecuting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s past eight years in government, but his road to victory is painted NDP orange. Appealing to working-class voters in rural and northern ridings — like those held by New Democrats across British Columbia and Liberals in northern Ontario — is … Read more