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The Entitled page 1 Greed, Corruption or Incompetence |
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OSHAWA - Durham Region illegally collected rent arrears from low-income tenants in social housing for years because senior management failed to catch the error. What’s more, a lower-ranking employee in the finance department was blamed and charged with fraud after raking in $175,000 for the region’s coffers. (Toronto Star)
WINNIPEG - Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) is slated to create a new daycare in downtown Winnipeg with a construction cost of $2M. The 10,000-square-foot facility will have 102 spaces for children. (CTV)
Investigation already underway SUDBURY - Police are already investigating what happened to hundreds of thousands of dollars that never made it into Sudbury city bank accounts. (CBC) PREVIOUS: Mayor wants to bring in police
New Brunswick taxpayers have little choice but to continue paying for government projects that are routinely exceeding their original budgets. The One Mile House Interchange in Saint John is now estimated to cost $75M, roughly 70% above the government's initial estimate. Similarly, a sound-dampening barrier next to a Fredericton neighbourhood is going to cost $2.3M, up from an original forecast of $1M. (CBC)
TORONTO - It will be harder for patients and the media to uncover medical problems because of a proposed secrecy “loophole” that allows hospitals to block disclosure of some records. (Toronto Star) PREVIOUS: Law firm site 'cleansed' Law firm advises to 'cleanse' files Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt Daycare abuse reports stalled by privacy concerns
TORONTO - Gravenhurst’s top official has been fired in the wake of allegations the town was hoodwinked by Toronto builders on a taxpayer-funded project. (Toronto Star) PREVIOUS: OPP to probe kickback allegations Builder uses loopholes Dalton Engineering and Construction Ltd Tony Clement
CALGARY - A new processing fee imposed by the province could cost the city an additional $10M in unexpected expenses. Every time police or the parking authority requests information from Service Alberta, the city will have to pay a $15 fee. (CTV)
TORONTO - A branch of the Ontario government responsible for ensuring employers act fairly and obey the law has been criticized for infringing the privacy rights of its employees and violating a collective agreement. In a landmark decision Tuesday, the Crown Employees Grievance Settlement Board found the labour ministry acted unreasonably by conducting secret criminal background checks on its inspectors. (Toronto Star)
Grow-op is not a city hall investment SLOCAN - The mayor of a small village in BC's West Kootenay region says she had no idea her family was allegedly running a marijuana grow-op, and she won't step down over what she considers a private affair. (CBC)
Husband refuses to pay for 'substandard' care TRAIL - An elderly BC man is upset after a provincial health authority stripped him and his wife of their legal and financial rights when he complained repeatedly about his wife's care in the local hospital. (CBC) PREVIOUS: BC public guardian and trustee act
TORONTO - Ontario's highest court has closed the door on a pension increase for fired Hydro One executive Eleanor Clitheroe. Clitheroe sued Hydro One seeking to have her pension raised to $33,644.21 a month - slightly more than the average Hydro One pensioner gets annually. (CP) PREVIOUS: $25K a month pension not enough Eleanor Clitheroe
LANGLEY - A suburban Vancouver council has lost confidence in its mayor and has voted to censure Rick Green and oust him from two high profile public committees. (CP) |
MOOSE JAW - The union represents city workers in Moose Jaw and recently won a lawsuit against Diana Bethke, a former secretary-treasurer for the union. (CBC)
Nuclear workers to get jobs back TORONTO - An arbitrator has given 8 fired Ontario Power Generation workers their jobs back. (CP) PREVIOUS: 'Drug-related activity' Ontario Power Generation. Drugs allegedly behind firings Nuclear plant workers fired
WINNIPEG - City council voted to guarantee a $10M loan to a developer with a plan to build 900 townhouses and apartments along the Fort Rouge rail yards. But, if the developer defaults, the city would be responsible for its $10M loan. In the past, the developer's owner, Andrew Marquess, has been sued more than a dozen times by suppliers who said he owed them for equipment. (CTV)
Another appointed board ruling OTTAWA - Franklin Andrews, a policy advisor at Citizenship and Immigration Canada got his walking papers in November 2009 for spending work hours surfing porn websites. But he appealed the firing and the Public Service Labour Relations Board ordered him reinstated in early August. (QMI) MORE: Not enough work for a senior analyst in the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Fire bureaucrat Keeping democracy at arms length
TORONTO - Underscoring festering high-level internal strife, the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) paid for a prominent former judge and outside lawyers to quietly deal with workplace allegations by executive vice-president Terry Downey, its third-highest ranking officer. (Toronto Star) Sid Ryan
Auditors detail expense abuses TORONTO- Provincial auditors have discovered several abuses at the Niagara Parks Commission, including liquid lunches, unapproved international travel and expensive meals. (Toronto Star)
OTTAWA - A $50M lifeline the Harper government threw to ailing shipyards in 2007 lacked basic record-keeping, raising questions about the management of Canada's national shipbuilding program. CP)
OTTAWA - Lise Pouliot, 68, and Emmanuel Feuerwerker, 60, were found guilty of fraud over $5,000, possessing proceeds of crime worth over $5,000 and laundering the proceeds of crime. From 2002 to 2005, they made 109 claims to insurers Sun Life Financial. (QMI) MORE: Public servant convicted
TORONTO - The Canada Revenue Agency says a Toronto tax preparer has been jailed for filing returns with more than $1M in false claims. (CBC)
OTTAWA - Federal spending on Canadian embassy properties and diplomatic residences abroad has soared 430% since Stephen Harper's Conservative government came to power on a promise to rein in the diplomatic decorators. (CBC) REPORT: Public accounts of Canada 2010 Tighten your belts
QUEBEC - The Quebec government is handing a lucrative contract to build 500 new subway cars for the Montreal metro system to a consortium led by home-grown train maker Bombardier. (CBC) COMMENT: $100K per vote Quebec can't have it both ways
Crown expense reports cleaned up TORONTO - Any controversial, improperly charged expenses filed by senior Ontario Crown agency officials will not be made public. That’s because the provincial integrity commissioner is going over each expense report in detail, querying improper expenses and having executives reimburse the agency before any reports are made public. (Toronto Star)
TORONTO - 4 people have been charged with breach of trust and fraud following a police investigation into cleaning contracts at Ontario government buildings in downtown Toronto. (CP) MORE: OPP charge provincial officials Politicians silent on police raid 'Irregular transactions' Criminal probe targets Ontario Realty Corp OPP probes ministry staff
CHATHAM - A city councillor and federal liberal candidate in Chatham, Ont., is free on bail after being arrested on six charges. Steve Pickard, 40, is charged with assault, forcible confinement and four counts of making death threats. (CBC) |
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Expenses are only part of the story OTTAWA - Writing about the spending habits of Members of Parliament is not among my favourite topics - not because I necessarily trust the way all of them spend their allowances or because it’s not important to see how our money is spent, but because I believe that talking about their individual spending is beside the point if we don’t talk about the billions of dollars they administer without our knowing the details. (Toronto Star) On the trail of your tax dollars Opposition to audit could bite MPs in the wallet Leeches and the evidence agenda What are the MPs so afraid of? Freedom of information doesn't mean free, or information |
Ottawa's culture of hidden receipts Secrecy is the enemy of democracy 'I haven't had one constituent contact me' How to contact your member Parliament Voters demand look at MPs' books Why is Szabo afraid of Fraser? Political parties in agreement MPs unite to keep secret budget under wraps Wanted: One selfless champion of democracy Let AG Fraser audit Parliament Feds cut back on their 2010 freebies Turned-off Canadians tuning out Youth feel political disconnect Private tips help pry open doors MPs resist AG's look at their expenses Ministers have been good for us |
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Politician admits talking business at fundraiser OTTAWA - Conservative cabinet minister Christian Paradis now acknowledges that he discussed government business with a big construction contractor at a Tory fundraiser - after initially denying anything of the sort. (CP) Paradis admits he talked about contracts Politician talked with contractor at fundraiser Minister defends appearance as guest of honour Tory MPs not linked to contract probe Gillani fraud charges withdrawn Another rough ride at committee Tories will need help to expand Lobbying Act |
Small firm, big contract, many questions Paradis sure he will be cleared Christian Paradis Jaffer blames everyone but himself 'Inadvertent' testimony errors PMO misrepresented information Guergis stripped of nomination Jaffer promoted projects in 7 federal agencies Jaffer used wife's office for business |
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Jaffer was seen as 'money access point' Guergis 'vigorously denies' cocaine allegations How to get federal 'green' cash Private investigator '3rd party' Jaffer's partner: Life being 'destroyed' |
Guergis,Jaffer dined with Nazim Tough-on-crime sentence for ex-MP Drunk driving charges dropped against former MP Drug charges dropped for ex-MP Ex-Mp shaken by cocaine arrest |
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Jaffer's actions are not unique Political stereotypes, joined at the hip Shine a light on justice system |
Public speeches have been good for us What is a conflict of interest? Ex-Baird aide touts federal ties Lobbyists lobby against new rules Lobbying rules leave loopholes Setting the right rules for Ottawa's lobbyists The Office of the Registrar of Lobbyists |
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McGuninty defends HST as job creator LONDON, ON - Premier Dalton McGuinty defended the HST as a job creator on a day when figures show Ontario shed almost 23,000 jobs in September, all in the services sector which includes retail jobs. (CP) Most Canadians to pay more taxes & fees Premier doesn't see MP/lobbyist conflict Taxpayers paying for lobbyists Anti-HST campaign nearer goal Fight HST Poorly timed, badly structured, too complex List of exemptions from tax grows It doesn't get more Canadian than this, eh? Considering selling crown corporations |
'Social responsibility' = tax increase Game changing for 'wise elites' Raise taxes to be more competitive HST will hit Ontario household budgets Toronto's power rates to jump 20% Province set to pinch pocketbooks You get to pay new tax on new tax BC property-assessments expected to jump Federal education initiative getting failing grades McGuinty blamed for wage hikes Police board was overly generous Defending $5.2M police paid duty perk TPS votes on 4 year, 11.5% pay hike Ontario's eHealth scraps raises and bonuses Bonus & raise time at eHealth Ontario Drivers warned during cellphone grace period BC liquor branch disciplines outlets BC's booze laws fines increase New Year brings new cash grab fine amounts Ontario budget shortfall balloons to $6.4B |
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TORONTO - Ontario Transportation Minister Kathleen Wynne ordered the TTC and Metrolinx to pull an ad seeking a consultant who was to help choose art work for stops along the Eglinton Crosstown LRT. In a telephone interview Wynne said she first learned of plans to hire an art consultant for up to $420,000 over two years after reading it Thursday’s Star. (Toronto Star) Take the cultural elitist test Secret civil servant wage hike slammed Probing political appointees could hurt image No freeze on spending for PM's own McGuinty defends high salaries |
Secret wage hike for PS workers Public Service has been good for us UK spending cuts foretell our future Canada's good to it's political parties 'Outrageous' generosity with PS union Civil servants want 11.25% increase Canadians responsible for their own retirement Government work has been good for us A government job is a government job Ontario’s $100,000 plus club up 26% Ontario's $100,000 club up 32% Public service has been good for us |
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PS workers earning more than $100K-a-year Private sector can't keep financing public sector Public service has been good for us Universities shelling out top dollar Bonus needed to lure talent to Alberta EDC rack up travel and car expenses Bureaucrat paid more than $700K Ontario public sector salary for 2010 Ontario $100K club grows by 11% |
McGuinty defends growth of salaries 'Sunshine list' day, but only in Ontario Ontario public sector salary disclosure 2007 Secret report angers federal suppliers $1.5B Public Works bid scheme 'unsound' Ex-minister accused of manipulated contract NDP accuse former minister of meddling |
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Ontario AG report 2010 Jim McCarter Utilities donating to political parties It's not the spending, it's the accountability Trips, tickets popular freebies Energy plant could be worthless Watchdog focuses on consultant |
Bureaucrat pay loophole to close Bureaucrats skirt rules to hide huge salaries Tackling campaign finance loopholes New Ontario health conflict unearthed Cancer Care CEO defends agency's record Healthy severance for Ontario bigwigs Overpayment on disability benefits a way of life $45M saving claim was less than $1M |
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OTTAWA - Nova Scotia's Halifax Shipyard has landed a $25B contract to build new combat ships for the Canadian navy over the next 20 years. Irving Shipbuilding will be the main company responsible for building the navy's new warships. An $8B contract for 7 non-combat vessels went to Vancouver's Seaspan Marine Corp. (CTV) |
No-win scenario on military spending
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Forces defying federal directive OTTAWA - Canada’s bloated military bureaucracy has consistently defied explicit orders from government ministers to increase the size of the army militia as directed. (PostMedia) |
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How BC Lotteries came to pay $400M VICTORIA - Since 1997, the BC Lottery Corporation has paid out more than $400M in gambling revenues to BC casino operators so that they can recoup their capital costs. The payments, called facility development commissions, or FDCs, constitute 3% of the casinos' "net win" - the revenue remaining after prizes have been paid out. The FDCs, BCLC spokesmen say, are then remitted to the casino operators based on each casino's profitability. Casinos often fail to flag large transactions BC casinos to move against money laundering BC only gambling body to be fined Site compromised personal info |
ALC under-reported insider wins Code to scratch lottery tickets cracked Cracking the scratch lottery code $17M lottery prize goes to court 5th lotto jackpot win disputed Another lottery ticket seller wins BCLC ups online gambling limit Only 1 winner in bet-limit hike Ontario retailers to be banned from buying lottery tickets OLG workers can no longer play Retailers do not win more than public Loto-Quebec faces class-action lawsuit Probe launched into WCLC security |
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Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission British Columbia Lottery Corporation |
Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation Western Canada Lottery Corporation McCarter's report .pdf A game of trust .pdf |
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OTTAWA - The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) held its 13th annual “Teddy Waste Awards” ceremony to recognize the best of the worst in government waste. 12th Annual Teddies waste awards 11th Annual Teddies waste awards 10th Annual Teddies waste awards |
Bureaucrats served lobster at resort $69.8 M for administration: $11M for care Evil Legacy money for lawyers and bureaucracy |
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FREDERICTON - The government of NB intends to reintegrate NB Power into a single entity and is committing to increase its supply of renewable electricity under a 10-year energy plan. Energy Minister Craig Leonard said the plan will provide more predictability for the public and help keep power costs competitive while meeting environmental responsibilities. (CP) |
Quebec regulator rejects NL power play Power deal endorsed by Ganong panel |
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CALGARY - Newly terminated Calgary Parking Authority managers Dale Fraser and Al Bazar had listed themselves as inventors on a US patent for a system for managing parking rights - casting the city’s foreign rights to the automated ParkPlus in doubt. City solicitor Paul Tolley confirmed the city is in a prolonged legal dispute over ownership rights to ParkPlus with the former top executives, who were fired by the parking authority board. (Calgary Herald) |
Mayor takes aim at 'culture of entitlement' |
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OTTAWA - The Public Service Alliance of Canada won a final victory Thursday in a pay-equity case against Canada Post that goes back a generation. The Supreme Court of Canada, in a rare ruling from the bench delivered by Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin, sided with the union in the $150M dispute. The union welcomed the decision, but decried the 28 years it took to settle the case. (CP) |
Changing the culture of the entitled Strikes highlight Canada's pension problems Unions fighting rearguard action NDP counts on big labour support |
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MONTREAL - The province's proposed system of computerized health records is a "failure," auditor-general Renaud Lachance said in his fourth report critical of runaway spending on the Dossier de santé du Québec. (Montreal Gazette) |
No incentive to use health databank |
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OTTAWA - After criticizing the past president of Rights and Democracy for spending and accountability issues, the agency's directors want to give the new president even greater powers to award contracts without public tenders. (Toronto Star) RELATED: Censorship in Ottawa: 3 ministers suspected Deficit no barrier to politicians' pricey travel |
TORONTO - WSIB chair Steve Mahoney, a former Liberal cabinet minister, is paid $550 a day for the part-time job, and billed taxpayers $141,000 last year. Mahoney is also collecting pensions from his time as an MPP and MP. (CP) MORE: WSIB head not sorry Next expenses scandal starting to unfold Part time chair's claims 'outrageous' WSIB boss in hot water |
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What does it say about the state of Canadian health insurance when Premier Danny Williams chooses to have his heart surgery in the US? Some pundits say it means nothing while others have insisted the premier could have obtained his medical care somewhere in Canada. (Fraser Institute) |
Quebec is suing former Lieutenant-Governor Lise Thibault for $92,000, in a bid to recoup public funds she spent without justification during her decade-long term. (CBC) MORE: Lise Thibault Trial begins Charged with fraud Auditors challenge spending |
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