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Canada’s auditor general is set to probe the Ottawa’s multi-billion-dollar Indigenous procurement program after a Global News investigation revealed concerns about abuse and “front” companies accessing federal contracts. Savanna McGregor, the grand chief of the Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation Tribal Council, told Global News Wednesday that Auditor General Karen Hogan’s office confirmed it will investigate the federal government’s Indigenous Business Directory (IBD).Hogan’s office did not immediately return a request for comment.The IBD is where federal departments and agencies go to find Indigenous companies to purchase products and services from, with an eye to meeting Ottawa’s policy of at least five per cent of its procurement going to First Nations, Métis and Inuit companies.A months-long...

As the Canada Post strike nears the three-week mark, the federal labour minister called the nationwide mail stoppage “highly disrespectful” of Canadians. Speaking to reporters in Ottawa on Wednesday, Steven MacKinnon said he has been in regular contact with special mediator, Peter Simpson, to see where both parties stand after mediated talks were temporarily suspended last week.“I’ve been in daily discussions with … the mediator who is shuttling between the parties to see if there is a reasonable prospect that mediation, if it resumes, it will succeed. He has not yet given me that advice,” MacKinnon said.“The parties are still very far apart, and that is in my view, among other things, highly disrespectful of Canadian who are suffering through this work stoppage, small businesses, people i...