Your Disgusting Government and You

Vile, craven, and utterly without scruples:

The federal government is set to spend an estimated $71.1 billion on salaries, bonuses and other personnel costs in 2024-25 despite having shaved off around 10,000 workers from the public service last fiscal year, according to Canada’s parliamentary budget officer.

This was an increase from last year’s $69.6 billion spent on personnel, according to a new PBO report published on Aug. 28. Personnel costs are the largest part of operational spending and will present a challenge to the government of Prime Minister Mark Carney, which has promised to balance the operating budget all while capping and not cutting the size of the federal public service.

Last fiscal year, the size of the federal public service shrunk by 9,807 jobs, according to Treasury Board data. However, in July, the PBO released an analysis that showed the number of full-time equivalents in the public service has continued to grow.

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Federal payroll costs total a record $71.1 billion annually and are headed for more than $76 billion based on current trends, the Budget Office said yesterday. It follows cabinet’s Throne Speech announcement that it would be “capping the public service.”

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From the most "transparent" government in the country's history:

The Department of Canadian Heritage yesterday said it would not release until after the next federal budget a memo to Minister Steven Guilbeault on “a renewed approach” to CBC funding. Cabinet had promised the Crown broadcaster a multi-million dollar boost to its $1.4 billion annual subsidy if Liberals were re-elected: “It’s now or never.”

(Sidebar: why? Hardly anyone watches this ghastly mouthpiece.)

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Attorney General Sean Fraser is asking a federal judge to quash his own government’s release of a secret report deemed “injurious to national defence.” The Department of Justice seeks to block the scheduled release of the Access To Information document next Tuesday: ‘The risks are significant.’

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I doubt very much that the Liberals will move away from China:

The trade department in an introductory report to newly-appointed Minister Maninder Sidhu said Canada is “focused on diversifying away from China” as a risky market. The stark analysis comes five years after cabinet polled support for a free trade agreement with the People’s Republic: “Trade Commissioner Services have focused on diversifying away from China.”

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Like fun they did:

The federal government says it’s “looking into” what appears to be the accidental removal of a privacy provision in its Online Streaming Act.

Earlier this week, University of Ottawa law professor Michael Geist outlined in a blog post that a privacy provision in the legislation was removed only two months after the bill became law, through an amendment contained in another bill.

The heritage department said it is now aware of the issue.