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Canada’s Job Market Stumbles as February Brings Major Employment Losses

                                                       Workers operating machinery at a construction site in Edmonton.      Canada’s labour market took a sharp downturn in February, shedding 84,000 jobs and pushing the national unemployment rate up to 6.7%. The decline was far steeper than economists expected and marks one of the most significant monthly employment drops in recent years.  A Sudden and Significant Employment Decline Statistics Canada reported that the country lost 84,000 jobs in February , a surprising contraction that affected both goods‑producing and services‑producing industries. The unemployment rate rose to 6.7% , up 0.2 percentage points from January. Economists had anticipated modest job growth, making the downturn even more unexpected.  Who Was Hit the Hardest Youth aged...

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Federal Contracting Scandal: The ArriveCan App Controversy


  • Contracting Overview: Three companies involved in the ArriveCan app development received over $1-billion in federal contracts since 2011. The firms, Coradix Technology Consulting, Dalian Enterprises, and GCStrategies, have been suspended pending investigations into alleged misconduct.

  • Parliamentary Scrutiny: The sharp increase in federal outsourcing, from approximately $8-billion in 2016 to over $21-billion last year, has led to parliamentary scrutiny. Allegations include inflated résumés and a reliance on IT staffing firms that subcontract work for commissions.

  • Indigenous Procurement Strategy: Dalian, an aboriginally owned company, partnered with Coradix for contracts under the federal Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business. Audits are underway to ensure compliance with program rules.

  • Conflict of Interest Concerns: Revelations of conflict of interest have emerged, including a case where a public servant was involved with a contracting company. The Treasury Board disclosed 162 conflict-of-interest declarations for the 2023-24 fiscal year, with ongoing reviews.

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