It's Just Money

We can print more of it, right?:

Statistics Canada yesterday detailed new food inflation figures documenting a dramatic rise in basic groceries from pre-pandemic levels. Data were based on actual checkout prices nationwide: “More are borrowing money to cover their day to day expenses.”

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The Department of Immigration yesterday budgeted for war in Ukraine to continue into 2024. Managers set aside millions to cover free hotel bookings for unsponsored refugees who land in Canada with no place to stay: “There is no limit to the number of people who will be welcomed.”

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The Senate human rights committee outspent all other committees combined last year with a detailed study of Islamophobia. Hearings resume this week after the panel heard from 135 witnesses in five cities: “How does the Senate human rights committee define the term Islamophobia?”

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Conventional TV is on a “downward trajectory” that will see networks fight over an ever-dwindling pool of revenue, says a CRTC report. All television programming with the exception of sports is now a money loser, it said: “Each year a larger share of ad spending in Canada is flowing to the internet.”

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Federal spending on consultants will jump 13 percent this year, says a Budget Office report. “It has shown consistent growth year over year,” wrote analysts: “More than half of spending on professional and special services is consistently comprised of five departments alone.”

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It's not playing catch-up; it's making sure that you never fly in Canada again:

Canadian travellers are facing increased airport fees after the pandemic grounded revenues and led to more debt for airports across the country.

COVID-19 disrupted the airport sector's "relatively stable" and resilient business model, as Canadian airports have added around $3.2 billion in combined debt, DBRS Morningstar said in an analysis note on Monday.

Unlike American airports, which received significant financial aid during the height of the pandemic, Canadian government subsidies mostly targeted airlines rather than airport authorities, according to the credit rating agency.

The latter only benefited from "modest" support, such as Transport Canada’s Airport Critical Infrastructure Program, launched in May 2021, which provides $571.2 million over five years.

"The Canadian government has not demonstrated a willingness, or perceived a material need, to provide significant financial support to Canadian airports," the agency stated.

During the pandemic, Toronto Pearson International Airport twice increased its airport improvement fee by $5 to $35 for departing passengers. That followed losses of $383 million and $350 million in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

That fee similarly rose at Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport from $30 to $35 in 2021. The Regina Airport Authority plans to hike airport improvement fees by $10 per departing passenger to $30 on April 1.

Airports' operating costs and capital expenditures are also on the rise due to inflation, per the agency. Tariff increases have become "necessary" as airports look to restart capital projects at higher costs after many were paused during the pandemic.

 

Remember that while one was under global house arrest, no flights from China were restricted from coming into Canada.

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Good thing about that warranty, huh?:

A senior defence official says Canadian taxpayers are on the hook when it comes to fixing at least two of the Royal Canadian Navy's new Arctic patrol vessels.

Defence Department deputy minister Bill Matthews says that is because the one-year warranty on those two ships has expired.

The federal government is planning to buy eight Arctic patrol vessels from Halifax-based Irving Shipbuilding, including six for the Navy and two for the Canadian Coast Guard.

Three of the ships are finished, though Matthews told a parliamentary committee today that it will be up to Irving to fix the problems in the third ship and all others as they are still under warranty.

While a technical investigation into the ships was only recently completed, preliminary reports have identified issues with the ships' engine cooling and drinking water systems.

The Canadian Press reported last week that Ottawa is also on the hook for repairs to the Royal Canadian Air Force's Cyclone helicopters, one of which crashed off the coast of Greece in 2020.

Six Armed Forces members died in the crash.