Saturday, December 20, 2025
ADVT 
National

Feds uneasy with Facebook cryptocurrency: Document

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 29 Mar, 2021 05:58 PM
  • Feds uneasy with Facebook cryptocurrency: Document

Internal Finance Department documents show officials have deep concerns about the effect of Facebook's planned digital currency on Canada's financial stability.

Officials wrote in the briefing note last summer that they believed the company had yet to address multiple concerns and risks its digital currency posed to the financial system.

The July briefing note, obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act, also says the government was working on options to ease the risks.

Officials appeared less concerned about rivals like Bitcoin, which the briefing note says has not played a large role in everyday transactions in Canada for various reasons.

Unlike Bitcoin, Facebook's offering would be a "stablecoin" whose value would be less volatile, and could be easily used by hundreds of millions of the social media giant's users upon release.

The ease of use and stability of value are among the reasons governments and central banks like the Bank of Canada have taken a keen interest in the currency.

MORE National ARTICLES

Canadian funding for homegrown vaccines lacking

Canadian funding for homegrown vaccines lacking
John Lewis, the CEO of Entos Pharmaceuticals in Alberta, says his company is one of six that received about $5 million to move their COVID-19 vaccine along.

Canadian funding for homegrown vaccines lacking

ATV rider found dead in Fraser Valley

ATV rider found dead in Fraser Valley
Kent Harrison Search and Rescue says in a social media post that its members responded late Saturday to reports about the missing 21-year-old.

ATV rider found dead in Fraser Valley

COVID-19 outbreak in unit at Vancouver hospital

COVID-19 outbreak in unit at Vancouver hospital
Visits to the unit, on the tenth floor of the hospital's highrise tower, have been suspended except for end-of-life compassionate visits.

COVID-19 outbreak in unit at Vancouver hospital

6 COVID19 deaths for Friday

6 COVID19 deaths for Friday
There are 217 individuals currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 61 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.

6 COVID19 deaths for Friday

Interpreter shortage cutting short committees

Interpreter shortage cutting short committees
Conservative whip Blake Richards points to a meeting of the health committee last Friday, which was abruptly cut short by Liberal chair Ron McKinnon announcing that the committee would not have any Commons staff resources, including interpreters, after 4:30 p.m.

Interpreter shortage cutting short committees

B.C. care home director quits after COVID outbreak

B.C. care home director quits after COVID outbreak
Vancouver Coastal Health says in a statement that Little Mountain Place recently notified the health authority that its administrator had submitted her resignation.

B.C. care home director quits after COVID outbreak