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The Entitled page 2 Greed, Corruption or Incompetence |
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OTTAWA - Dozens of workers at Canada’s tax agency have been caught snooping on their ex-spouses, mothers-in-law, creditors and others by reading confidential tax files. (CP) |
HALIFAX - Nova Scotia's auditor general has been called in to investigate MLA Trevor Zinck’s alleged expense irregularities. (CBC) PREVIOUS: MLAs paid to chair committees that never meet |
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OTTAWA - Veronica Rose Topic, 26, admitted using a fraudulently obtained corporate credit card to buy thousands of dollars worth of commemorative coins, personal data assistants and office supplies, which she would then deposit into her own bank account or sell over the Internet. (Ottawa Citizen) |
OTTAWA - The federal ethics commissioner has fined Defence Minister Peter MacKay $200 because he violated the federal ethics code by serving as an officer in two of his father's companies while he was a cabinet minister. (CBC) MORE: $200 for ethics breach Conflict of interest |
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TORONTO - In the last 20 years, legal aid lawyers - who receive between $77 and $98 an hour - have had their pay increased by 15%, compared with an 83% increase for judges and a 57% increase for Crown attorneys over just the last 10 years (Toronto Star) MORE: Ontario legal aid boycott, nobody cares |
SK Party defends hefty salaries REGINA - The Saskatchewan Party government defended the hefty compensation paid out to the heads of the province's major Crown corporations as the government released the 2008 Crowns payee list. (Saskatoon Star Phoenix) MORE: Cities $100K club growing What's the deal with union benefits? Union agreements across Canada Sick day abuse |
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OTTAWA - Martin Cauchon, the former Liberal justice minister, denies allegations of influence-peddling contained in court documents filed with the Supreme Court of Canada. (Vancouver Sun) MORE: Ex-justice minister 'offered contracts' Follow the garbage money |
Fender-bender links ex-loans boss HAMILTON - A city official was driving a truck with a plate registered to a prominent Hamilton developer's company when he was in a drunk driving fender-bender - the same developer from whom he is accused of illegally accepting $5,000. (Hamilton Spectator) |
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OTTAWA - Lorraine (Lori) Ridgeway, director general for international policy and integration for the fisheries and oceans department, came to the attention of MPs after a Sun Media report on her expenses. (Sun Media) PREVIOUS: Good life all part of the job Around the world on $400G Probe of pipeline expense claims ordered Transport Canada 'fictitiously' expensing |
Justice Canada has been good for me OTTAWA - After resigning under threat of being fired by the federal government, Ontario Superior Court Judge Paul Cosgrove will collect close to his full pension, worth about $170,000 a year. During the five-year legal battle that surrounded the inquiry into his competence as a judge, Cosgrove has also been collecting his regular annual salary of $260,000. (Ottawa Citizen) PREVIOUS: Cosgrove steps down |
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CHARLOTTETOWN - PEI Premier Robert Ghiz is fending off allegations of corruption and bribery within his government with just two weeks to go before a provincial election. Several witnesses have come forward with allegations that senior immigration officials in the province accepted bribes in exchange for the province's sponsorship of immigration bids. (CTV) |
Premier dismisses probe request Immigration program has concerned Ottawa Auditor investigated for potential conflict |
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OTTAWA - Friends of Lansdowne said the courts ruled the city must disclose financial details of the partnership plan with Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group. Both the city and developers were refusing to produce these documents. (CBC) |
Prof speaks out against Lansdowne Live |
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Union says 'Jobs for life' at risk TORONTO - Mayor Rob Ford's administration wants to kill "jobs for life" and is setting the stage for a lockout next year in Toronto, CUPE Local 416 president Mark Ferguson charged. (QMI) Toronto document outlines demands Union vows to protect 'jobs for life' ON apologizes for consultant hiring Ombudsman slams health networks Spotlight on another secret deal |
Paying top dollar for incompetence Public service wage freeze would lead to strikes Province's wage-freeze talks go off the rails So many taxes we can't keep track of them Feeling heat over outsourcing taxes Tax should be buried in product price Foolishness of allowing appointed to set taxes |
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Settlement has been good for me OGL awards millions in untendered contracts 9 MPPs to monitor Ontario's spending |
Ontario public sector salary disclosure Crown agencies serve the public Ontario announces spending rules |
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Damning report on eHealth spending scandal 'Best & brightest' often disappoint |
Consultant at eHealth given more work Another untendered eHealth contract |
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OTTAWA - Labour Minister Lisa Raitt did not violate federal conflict-of-interest guidelines when her local riding association held a fundraising event involving lobbyists, Parliament's conflict-of-interest and ethics commissioner said. (CanWest) |
Nothing sexy in feeding frenzy Liberals want Harper to call audit |
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OTTAWA - The August 2006 spill of almost a billion litres of sewage into the Ottawa River and the subsequent non-reporting of the event was the result of "incompetent management" that treated the spill and several others as routine, the city's auditor general has found. (Ottawa Citizen) REPORT: Audit of the 2006 Sewage Spill .pdf |
Ex-minister failed to meet ethics standard REGINA - A "veil of secrecy and deception" was cast over a theft from the NDP caucus in the early 1990s, mainly by former caucus chief of staff Jim Fodey but also former NDP MLA and cabinet minister Glenn Hagel, according to the report from an unprecedented investigation by the province's conflict-of-interest commissioner made public Monday. (Saskatoon Star Phoenix) |
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Authorities should probe nanny allegations OTTAWA - A parliamentary committee looking into accusations that Liberal MP Ruby Dhalla and her family mistreated live-in caregivers has recommended that provincial and federal authorities look into the allegations. (CBC) |
Plan to curb nanny abuse presented to Parliament |
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TORONTO - The city of Toronto has asked the ministry of health to investigate how Toronto Emergency Medical Services handled the response to a 911 call that family members believe led to a man's death. (Toronto Star) |
EMS delay Strike blamed for death Union leader charged with mischief |
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WINDSOR - For Windsor West MPP Sandra Pupatello, the revelation that she burned through more than $100,000 in travel expenses over 12 months couldn't have come at a worse time. (Windsor Star) |
TORONTO - When police arrested a man for fraud and found nine different social insurance numbers in his possession two years ago, they traced those cards back to one government office. (Toronto Star) |
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'Mr. X' wins right to argue PS case OTTAWA - The mystery bureaucrat who is fighting the Public Service Commission to keep his name and other personal details of his life off the Internet won the right to argue his case under the name of Mr. X. (Ottawa Citizen) PREVIOUS: Former bureaucrat fights to keep name secret |
WINNIPEG - The death of an 82-year-old woman in the emergency department of Winnipeg's St. Boniface General Hospital in June is under investigation, hospital officials say. (CBC) PREVIOUS: WHSC victim identified Patient's demise raises troubling questions |
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Bureaucrats' wireless costs out of control OTTAWA - Cellphone and BlackBerry use at a major federal department has been out of control, with costs skyrocketing in a chaotic atmosphere, says a new audit. Natural Resources Canada failed to lay down any rules, lost track of the number of such devices, and let workers cut their own expensive service deals at a cost to taxpayers of up to $500,000 a year in wasted wireless spending. (CP) |
OTTAWA - The mayor and Stittsville-Kanata West Councillor Shad Qadri want city bureaucrats to clean up the municipality's organizational chart after discovering several shortcomings. They found the chart lists 19,000 jobs when the budget calls for 12,100 full-time jobs, there is no indication whether jobs are full or part time, and there are no definitions of full-time work. (Ottawa Citizen) |
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OTTAWA - Finance Minister Jim Flaherty is in an apparent conflict of interest because his wife and his executive assistant sit on the board of a project in his riding that is applying for federal funds. (CanWest) |
OTTAWA - William Baker, commissioner of the federal revenue-collecting department, laid out between $40,000 and $45,000 on the project last year, according to documents obtained under access-to-information legislation. (Toronto Star) PREVIOUS: CRA Board of Management |
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TORONTO - Robert MacDermid says the sheer amount of cash flowing from developers to incumbents - as opposed to coming from citizens who believe in a candidate's platform - erodes the concept of democratic representation. (Toronto Star) PREVIOUS: Crusader targets campaign finances |
REGINA - Brenda Oates - once a high-ranking government employee, devoted volunteer and well-respected member of the community - was led out of a Regina courtroom in handcuffs after being sentenced to more than a year in jail for fraud. (Regina Leader-Post) |
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OTTAWA - A third foreign worker illegally hired by Ruby Dhalla's family has stepped forward with complaints of being severely overworked and underpaid. Lyle Alvarez, 32, says the MP for Brampton-Springdale promised she would try to help her stay in Canada as a live-in caregiver if she passed a tryout as a housekeeper at the family's Mississauga home. (Toronto Star)Ruby Dhalla |
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FREDERICTON - The provincial attorney-general has asked the RCMP to investigate parts of the New Brunswick government's immigration program. (CBC) Retroactive pension reforms difficult: Judge Agency refuses to disclose salaries |
2009 report of the auditor general Premier's ties to Atcon questioned Politics have been good for us Questions about managers bonuses NBIMC |
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WINNIPEG - Why does a professional baseball team sublet city land from a non-profit corporation? To allow underprivileged kids to watch baseball games, says the man who owns the team, runs the city and co-founded the corporation. (Free Press) |
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Municipalities need to be reigned in TORONTO - Compared to the other two levels of government, Canadian municipalities probably out and out waste more money than the feds and the provinces. The waste may not be as much in absolute terms but the local yokels can spend the taxpayers’ money on extremely silly things that would never cross the minds of more mature politicians. (Free Press) |
BC Municipal spending watch .pdf Civic spending 'out of control' |
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Political parties are the most corrupt institutions A new survey says almost two-thirds of Canadians believe the government is doing an "ineffective" job of keeping graft in check, and almost half say it's on the rise. (CanWest) PREVIOUS: Why few white collar crooks end up in jail |
Mint adviser's payment excessive OTTAWA - Carpedia International of Oakville will get $2.09 million for a 50-week contract to find $7,635,705 in annual savings at the Crown corporation, which makes coins in Ottawa and Winnipeg. (Toronto Star) RELATED: One big happy family, thanks to others' taxes |
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Hospital confession sparks lawsuit TORONTO - A former patient is suing a Toronto hospital that published a study describing how sinks were responsible for the spread of a drug-resistant bacteria in its intensive care unit. (Toronto Star) RELATED: Doctors skip hand washing Humber hospital reveals death rate Hospital mortality info published HSMR |
HALIFAX - Former Nova Scotia human resources minister Ernie Fage was expelled from caucus, just 90 minutes after being found guilty of leaving the scene of a minor accident. (CBC) PREVIOUS: NS cabinet minister resigns NS cabinet minister accused of leaving scene of accident resigns 'Glitch' behind delay in accident probe, police say |
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VAUGHAN - Former Vaughan mayor Michael Di Biase faces 27 charges involving alleged election finance irregularities in connection with the city's 2006 municipal election, in which he lost to Linda Jackson by just 90 votes. Because Di Biase is no longer on council, the city did not issue a news release detailing the charges, as it did when rival Jackson and Councillor Bernie DiVona were similarly charged. (Toronto Star) |
Charges against her husband and campaign manager Auditor says Jackson should pay |
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OTTAWA - "I don't know how it became public because I said it was an issue that was discussed in-camera and the information that you received should never have been received by you," Alain Lalonde told CTV. (CTV) Court is not a level playing field Drawing a legal line on the business of politics Cunningham decision .pdf |
Dispute over criminal code continues Defence gets into 'the stuff of politics' Mayor ready to fight allegations in court OPP denies politics influenced O'Brien case |
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TORONTO - Ontario's ombudsman is warning against a growing culture of secrecy in the provincial government. Andre Marin says over the past six years there's been a common thread of closed government - whether dealing with municipal property assessment, the provincial lottery system or the police watchdog Special Investigations Unit. (CP) Government bureaucracy maddening |
Ontario's vulnerable not getting help Hospitals still running deficits Ontario commits $20M to clear criminal injuries backlog Bureaucrats add to crime victims' pain Victims' board 'colossal failure' Tories announced $52M to help victims of crime Study: Impacts and consequences of criminal victimization 2004 Ottawa city hall snubs Ontario ombud's offer |
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The taxpayers of Vancouver held hostage. The City of Toronto forced into budget crisis. Calgary teetering on the brink of municipal labour unrest. Montreal headed for a major metro-wide service-destroying city workers' strike later this year. For all this and more we can thank the Canadian Union of Public Employees, the all-powerful radical labour group that uses strike threats and political power to hold real control over most government services across the country. (National Post) |
Who is funding your local council? Illegal campaign contributions Red tape, low-tech and council belligerence BC municipal election donations Unions didn't so much bargain as put the city under siege PS unions lose $30B pension case Unions step up civic election support Auto union boss carries a big stick and isn't afraid to use it |
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OTTAWA - Today, the government pays about $42B a year in total compensation for all federal workers, from the public service to the military, RCMP and ministers’ exempt staff. That total was $23B only a decade ago. (PostMedia) Public sector strikes more likely in 2012 Industrial relations outlook 2012 Canada's bloated public sector Government work has been good for us Hostility between politicians and PS Cost of Public Service skyrockets Review of Federal Public Sector compensation |
Something is wrong with the labour code Bureaucrats' pay robs front lines PS 'phantom jobs' inquiry targets 20 Public hiring binge will end exposing soft job market PS Commission annual report 2006-2007 Appetite for taxes proving insatiable PS ordered to hire more visible minorities Employment trends in the federal public service |
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IQALUIT - Nunavut Premier Eva Aariak announced Sunday that she has stripped member of the legislative assembly Fred Schell of all ministerial portfolios after being told that the Baffin South representative has “acted in conflict of interest and abused his authority as minister.” (Nunatsiaq News) |
Court spares Nunavut government Nunavut finance minister linked to companies Audit unearths chaos at Nunavut lending agency Reports to the Legislative Assembly |
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TORONTO - Members of a Toronto-area family who allegedly stole a $12.5M lottery ticket rushed to transfer millions of dollars in winnings to offshore accounts after an ombudsman’s report on "insider wins" highlighted their case. (CBC) Western clerks claiming high number of prizes Insider wins suspiciously high Insider wins almost double earlier estimate Accountants hit the jackpot in re-review |
Bilked lotto winners investigated their own Gaming body to probe suspicious wins BC Lottery Corp to send $31M to reduce fraud Loto-Que. to protect identities of jackpot winners Police foil plot to kill lotto winners Police find conflict of interest Western Canada Lottery beefs up security checks Officer resigns amid conflict questions at OLG |
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Measures announced to prevent lotto ripoffs BC's 'luckiest' lotto retailers Atlantic provinces to review lottery operations Class-action suit launched against lotto agency Ontario lottery executive on leave Another Ontario senior claims lottery fraud NS to probe Atlantic Lottery ticket retailers Police open probe of fraudulent Ontario lottery |
OLG suspected more clerks stole winning tickets Lotto 6/49 to probe boosted jackpot claims Lottery numbers online ahead of draw BC lottery clerks win big, often Lottery scratch tickets also a fraud concern Lottery instant scratch tickets under scrutiny Gamblers deserve proof that insiders are clean Ontario plans crackdown on online gambling Those big winnings may have been yours BC man fined for engineering lottery scam |
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Another success for the entitled CALGARY - As it cuts teacher jobs and squeezes more students into classrooms, top officials and trustees with Calgary's public school board are preparing to move into new headquarters that will cost more than $11M a year to rent and run. A deal that two real estate experts say was at least 25% higher than the prevailing market. (Calgary Herald) Auditor scrutinizes contract tenders Footbridge bids millions over budget Fiscal update includes GST, tax cuts It's nice, but it's only a start Government failure in Canada, 2007 report Ottawa blamed for $125B in waste DND projects overbudget, overdue Government finance: $29B surplus Wondering where the money went? There's no satisfying governments' greed City Hall salaries raise value debate Calgary city hall boss gets raise to $332,000 Calgary property taxes to increase by 4.4% |
As deficit grows, so does bureaucracy Entitled to keep most of wage hikes New system sees MLAs paid for no work City halls fight proposed watchdog How to repair a shattered image Complaint filed Stephen Duckett Public sector pay better than private Premier stands by payout to trade rep Washington's 800 pound gorilla Council salaries up 15% in year A legislative committee that rarely meets misses a deadline Poor oversight costs city millions: auditor Auditor's findings on fraud not shared Managers tried to identify whistleblowers How many city workers does it take to fill a pothole? No wonder floodway work costs soar Hiring spree boosts city staff |
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WINDSOR - Police spending is the biggest item on the city's budget, making up more than one-fifth. While everyone else at city hall was asked to cut their budgets by 10% last year, the police spent $1M more. The culprit? Salaries. (Windsor Star) CUPE suggesting members reject offer Union wage demands put pressure on Sid Ryan, you have disgraced our union |
Fanatical students don't see racism Academic boycott of Israel takes off in Canada Israel: Universities helping IDF to be boycotted CUPE members vote to boycott Israeli universities CUPE boss admits anti-Israel went too far Political lobbying doesn't help CUPE |
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TORONTO - City of Toronto negotiators will push hard to strip city workers of “jobs for life” contract guarantees, says Councillor Doug Ford, setting his brother’s administration on a collision course with the city’s unions. (Toronto Star) Giorgio Mammoliti Adrian Heaps Council pays for ignoring legal advice Toronto fraud and waste hotline |
Potholes, Floods and Broken Branches: How the City Handles Your Claims City's AG uncovers waste & fraud |
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City councillors' tax free perks, aren't Taxpayers hit with high mileage bills Defeat a city council incumbent? |
Taxpayers pay councillor's legal bill City considers new fees to cover budget shortfall Can't stop fare hikes TTC says 'Sheltered' public servants on the radar City Halls respond in typical Canadian fashion 4% hike is 10% with hidden fees City unveils hard-times budget |
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Unseen hand behind developments Toronto Computer Leasing Inquiry Rescue plan for ailing Toronto 4 depart council with $140,000 Allow municipalities to tax everything Drinks, movies among tax targets |
Toronto City Council passes 4% tax hike Union bosses split Councillors ignore TTC TTC workers on strike TTC strike Travel ban doesn't apply to politicians Councillor calls off trip too zoo conference |
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Parsimony not a virtue at city hall Toronto firefighters' deal affects other talks $700K meltdown rocks city hall on eve of cuts Premier promises cash for cities Libraries agree to cuts, but police defy mayor Wage rollbacks not in the cards City about to go broke, staff says Councillor to have expenses investigated |
Bloated payroll rules at City Hall Mayor's move ignites war of words 2007 local government performance index Highest paid officials seek piece of pay hike pie Ivory towers cast costly spell Liberals On Defensive Over Auditor's Report Auditor General of Ontario: 2006 report Improper spending at Ontario children's aid |
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EDMONTON - Ponoka-Lacombe MLA Ray Prins, who headed the so-called 'do-nothing' nothing committee, announced he is not seeking re-election. (CBC) Holes in the AB lobbyist registry Lobbying is good for us James Blanchard Duckett settlement agreement .pdf Advisory panel .pdf |
Contractor skimmed Alberta Transportation Province ordered doctor to stop crusading |
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Cookie crumbles More board members flee 'I'm eating a cookie' Cookie exchange Cost effective health care at risk AB Health has been good for us Not enough cash to cover wage increases |
Public service has been good for us Early retirement plan for health staff Health workers asked to retire MLAs net hefty pay hikes on top of their salary MLA rejects private meeting pay Wealth shifts to public servants' wallets AB's deficit expected to balloon Hospital Report Card Alberta 2009 |
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2010 report of the AG of Alberta $900M in spending omissions defy reason Province defends health contracts AG picked $100M figure 'out of the air' Auditor targets 'gold-plated' payouts AB forecasting a $6.9B deficit U of C to pay Weingarten $4.75M pension |
Alberta, teachers reach $2.1B deal Hospital crisis brewing for years CHR agrees to simplify 'eye-glazer' reports Extra pay puts health boss in $1M club Call for resignations of Health Region CEO Pay hike for health board is sick Health board spent $22.5M in severance |
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Super health board replaces 9 boards Liberals criticize lucrative contract Public sell-off, public buyback Lawsuit filed against Alberta hospital CEO, other health region execs may go Top AB civil servants get 25% raises |
Head of government-owned bank earns $1.2M Health region's board comes to defence of CEO Paying more, getting less 2006 Judge faults hospital in death |
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MISSISSAUGA - In the 386-page report (.pdf) Justice J. Douglas Cunningham rejected Mayor Hazel McCallion’s testimony during a $7M probe that lasted almost two years that she was never in a conflict of interest because she was acting only in the best interests of her city. (Toronto Star) |
Mississauga's reputation thrown under the bus Mayor has only herself to blame |
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ST JOHN’S - The province doesn’t have a formal $5B infrastructure strategy, and departments are claiming cabinet secrecy prevents the release of details about how their infrastructure projects are assessed. (St John’s Telegram) RCMP investigating school board Little oversight of charitable lotteries Government has been good to me Politician eager to put conviction behind him Politician agrees to repay $300K |
Shortfall worse than predicted MLA quitting politics David Wilson Former cabinet minister out of jail Former NL cabinet minister pleads guilty Newfoundland and Labrador audit scandal Newfoundland AG uncovers more misspending Labrador politician charged with fraud, forgery Another politician named in audit reports NF AG to check books going back to 1989 Newfoundland and Labrador audit scandal |
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OTTAWA - PSAC, one of Canada's largest labour unions, undertook a review of the Public Service Modernization Act because although government launched a 5-year review in 2009, it has missed its "early 2011" deadline for publishing the results. (PostMedia) Report calls for cuts to bloated staffing Renaming corrects 'historical mistake' 18 months for immigration judge Immigration judge caught on video |
Report lays out plan to save $1B Appointees received 'preferential treatment' Canadians need more details says watchdog Ottawa's $19B reversal of fortune 40% salary reduction not a topic for judges Audit finds fault with top bureaucratic appointments Public Service Employment in Canada 2007 BC government work has been good for us |
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Trained officers told not to apply for jobs Ottawa rescinds ban on able-bodied white men Finance Minister admits Canadians overtaxed Refugee judge charged with breach of trust Immigration judge accused of misconduct More frauds surface in immigration Revealing the obvious doesn't count Alleged leaker of green plan a political activist |
Dosanjh's bigge$st donors run medical firms Legacy money for lawyers and bureaucracy Feds troubled by reports of waste at Kanesatake Correctional Service disqualifying whites Entitled to their entitlements |
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Questions raised about native band's spending AG blasts criticism of legal meeting at resorts Court documents official 'enriched himself' Former chief quits real estate board Bureaucrat profited in trust case |
Convicted bureaucrat implicates 8 officials in fraud Immigration board judge gets six years Tailor, 73, jailed in refugee scam Military contracts awarded without competition 2 year sentence for DND fraudster Second guilty plea in DND fraud Fraud sentences well shy of maximum How an ex-DND employee blew $100M Man charged in DND fraud invested millions Tracking DND's missing millions Charges laid in DND computer billing case Ex-DND employee being sued over billing Defence construction consistently over budget No bang for the buck .pdf |
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The controversy surrounding Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's involvement in two properties in his riding is rooted in events that are more than a decade old. But the details were only made public after a series of media reports, a lawsuit and a barrage of questions raised by a united opposition in the House of Commons. (CBC) |
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