Canadian Government Archives - Monitor Telegram

Intelligence agency withheld information from statement about MP’s phone hack

April 25, 2018

Five months after a Radio-Canada/CBC investigation revealed that the country’s major mobile networks are vulnerable to hacking and fraud, documents obtained through Access to Information show that the agency responsible for the security of the federal government’s networks withheld some information from the public at the time.

Using only the cellphone number of MP Matthew Dubé — and with the New Democrat’s consent as part of the Radio-Canada/CBC investigation — cybersecurity experts in Germany proved they were able to intercept his communications and track his movements.

Carson found guilty of influence peddling

March 23, 2018

OTTAWA — Canada’s highest court has upheld an influence peddling conviction against a one-time senior aide to former prime minister Stephen Harper.

Bruce Carson’s case will now be sent back to the trial judge for sentencing after an 8-1 decision by the Supreme Court of Canada that rejects his interpretation of the influence-peddling law.

He could face up to five years in prison.

Trudeau Liberals used government funds to pay $100,000 to Facebook data whistleblower Christopher Wylie

March 21, 2018

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals used government funds to pay $100,000 to the firm of Facebook data whistleblower Christopher Wylie, a party official said on Wednesday.

“In early 2016, Mr. Wylie’s company Eunoia Technologies ran a pilot project for the Liberal Caucus Research Bureau,” said Melissa Cotton, director of the party’s research bureau in a statement sent to media outlets. “The total fees for services was $100,000 and was done in accordance with the House of Commons procurement rules.”

Surrey man convicted in 1986 B.C. terrorist shooting poses with Trudeau’s wife, cabinet minister in India

February 21, 2018

A Surrey businessman convicted in a 1986 terrorist shooting in B.C. posed with Sophie Gregoire Trudeau and a Canadian cabinet minister during the prime minister’s trip to India.

Jaspal Atwal, a one-time member of the now-banned International Sikh Youth Federation, had also been invited to a dinner with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Canadian High Commission in Delhi on Thursday night.

Halifax Regional Police have charged former Nova Scotia PC candidate with fraud

January 16, 2018

A former Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative candidate is facing two criminal charges related to the 2016 deposit of a $90,000 cheque in his bank account.

Halifax Regional Police have charged Paul Edward Beasant, 49, with one count each of fraud over $5,000 and uttering a forged document.

According to police, Beasant attempted to deposit the cheque into his bank account at the Royal Bank at 1597 Bedford Highway.

Trudeau becomes first prime minister found in violation of ethics law

December 20, 2017

OTTAWA — Justin Trudeau, who came into office vowing to set the gold standard for transparency and ethical behaviour, became Wednesday the first prime minister found to have violated federal conflict of interest rules.

Canada official admits $1m fraud of First Nations children

November 29, 2017

A Canadian government consultant has pleaded guilty to stealing from a breakfast programme aimed at children living in Kashechewan First Nation.

Giuseppe Crupi was appointed by the government to co-manage the programme for Cree children in northern Ontario.

Between 2007-12, police say he took C$1.2m ($930,000, £700,000) from the programme and misappropriated nearly C$700,000 for personal use.

Uber hack: NDP requests formal investigation into breach

November 23, 2017

The NDP is calling on Privacy Commissioner Daniel Therrien to open a formal investigation after the ride-hailing service Uber admitted earlier this week it covered up a hack that compromised the personal information of 57 million users and drivers last year.

A spokesperson for Therrien told Global News on Wednesday it asked Uber to explain how the hack happened and how many Canadians are affected but that the company told them it “was not able to confirm the number of impacted Canadian customers.”

Senator accuses CRA of doing little to fight offshore tax evasion

November 7, 2017

OTTAWA — About one-fifth of a group of wealthy Canadians who took part in a federal government survey last year didn’t believe that a proposed advertising campaign about a federal crackdown on tax cheats would do anything to deter people from using overseas tax havens.

There was a similar response from “high net worth” respondents who took part in the survey, conducted last December but released only recently. About one quarter of respondents didn’t believe that the Canada Revenue Agency ads would deter people from taking part in the underground economy.

Paradise Papers: CRA to investigate new evidence of tax evasion

November 6, 2017

OTTAWA – The Canada Revenue Agency says it won’t hesitate to investigate new evidence of offshore tax evasion in the wake of a second massive leak of tax haven financial records.

The leak of some 13.4 million records, dubbed the Paradise Papers, lifts another veil on the often murky ways in which the wealthy – including more than 3,000 Canadian individuals and entities – stash their money in offshore accounts to avoid paying taxes.