The Guardian writes that the Communications Security Establishment was involved in secret briefings to energy corporations, ostensibly to discuss threats to energy infrastructure, and they are tying this into the allegations that CSE was conducting industrial espionage on mining and energy in Brazil – even though the documents don’t show that. CSE did confirm that they meet with industry, but said that it has to do with protecting them against things like cyber-threats. There are even public records of such kinds of meetings here. It should also be noted that Canadian energy companies do have operations in countries like Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria, which have had problems with stability and there would be threats to our operations and workers there. These facts weren’t enough to dissuade Thomas Mulcair, who said that there was “clear evidence” of industrial espionage, though that would be news to anyone else. The CBC’s Julie Van Dusen tried to get answers from the head of CSE in a walking scrum yesterday, but he wasn’t deviating from his talking points. (And kudos to the camera operator who filmed said walking scrum while walking backwards at high speed). James Fitz-Morris has a possible explanation for why Canada might be spying on Brazil’s energy officials.
Oh dear – a recently released report shows that the Auditor General found some $1.5 billion in “significant” accounting mistakes at National Defence, with things like double-counting parts inventories, not removing crashed CF-18s from the inventory, and travel claims without authorisations. It really starts to question the way in which things are being run in the department, and how things were allowed to get this bad (though one suspects that whenever anyone raised questions, the response was “You support the troops, don’t you?”).
Bernard Valcourt says he wants the country’s Aboriginal education system reformed before new funds start flowing, as more funding will not solve the problems on its own. Valcourt also says that all of the points that AFN National Chief Shawn Atleo made around education are covered in the draft legislation, and that it’s based on the work of a 2012 panel and months of consultation.
Jason Kenney says he may be looking to resurrect a programme that fast-tracks temporary foreign workers, but would try to restrict it to certain kinds of positions.
A new PBO report says that public sector wage growth has effectively been flat over the past decade once it’s been adjusted for inflation. The NDP immediately turned around and insisted that the government is forcing austerity measures on public servants unfairly.
As Senators discuss the adoption of new and clear rules for expenses and whatnot, Conservative Senator Don Plett says that he too may have some “honest mistakes” with the expenses that he’s claimed.
A couple of other Senators, speaking on background, said that they have been concerned about Senator Brazeau’s health and substance/alcohol abuse problems, and that those may be related to mental health issues, and that they have encouraged him to seek treatment. Brazeau’s lawyer said that any of these alleged problems are not related to his current health concerns, for which he was recently hospitalised. Those health concerns have delayed Brazeau’s assault trial until February.
The CBC finds five interesting things buried in those court documents about Mike Duffy and his questionable contracts. Meanwhile, the RCMP are asking three prominent PEI Progressive Conservatives about contracts they received from Duffy for consulting work.
Opposition politicians are making hay of the fact that Justice Nadon is off the bench until the case around his eligibility to sit has been decided.
Tobi Cohen gives a look at the kinds of tough-on-crime measures likely to come up with the return of Parliament – because the Conservatives apparently haven’t run out of them yet.
Canadian Press got a look at the current plans for Canada’s 150th birthday, and right on cue comes the complaints that it’s too military-focused.
A judge acquitted the 89-year-old peace activist who refused to fill out her census form because of software links to Lockheed Martin, but under the rubric of not being able to prove her intent beyond a reasonable doubt. I await the appeal.
Oh look – yet another Senate “reform” proposal that doesn’t understand how Responsible Government works or that turning over appointments to a separate body means that nobody becomes accountable when those appointments go wrong. (Seriously, how hard is it to understand the very basics of how our system works?)
And Stephen Harper gave a very shiny gift to a US morning show host who also moderated a discussion on maternal and child health while he was in New York. It’s a Birks silver-plated compact, and a gift as “part of normal diplomatic protocol.”