Friday, June 5, 2026
ADVT 
National

StatCan report details dig into jobs-data leak

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 16 Feb, 2021 09:00 PM
  • StatCan report details dig into jobs-data leak

A final investigation report on how last April's jobs report leaked out early says Statistics Canada wasn't the source, confirming early suspicions from agency officials that the unauthorized release came from elsewhere.

The report, dated June 5 but being made public today, doesn't say how the details on the historic job losses in April made it into a media report before the agency officially released it.

But it says that 10 interviews, a review of 210 emails and 116 telephone logs showed no agency personnel were involved, nor was technical error to blame for how high-level findings made their way into a Bloomberg News report before the release on May 8.

Just over 40 minutes before Statistics Canada officially released the April jobs numbers, Bloomberg News cited a “person familiar with the matter” saying the country lost about two million jobs in that month.

Before the day was out, staff at the statistics agency were ordered to preserve documents, the chief statistician called for an end to sharing pre-release data with select federal departments, and an investigation plan was laid out.

The details are in dozens of pages of internal emails and reports obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act.

MORE National ARTICLES

Supreme Court reserves judgment on carbon tax

Supreme Court reserves judgment on carbon tax
After two days of hearings and presentations from more than two dozen interested parties, the court adjourned without yet deciding whether the carbon price is constitutional.

Supreme Court reserves judgment on carbon tax

Liberals unveil sweeping plans for now, future

Liberals unveil sweeping plans for now, future
The Liberals framed their approach Wednesday as giving Canadians a choice, in an echo of their 2019 election campaign strategy.

Liberals unveil sweeping plans for now, future

Parties agree on hybrid Commons sittings

Parties agree on hybrid Commons sittings
The plan also includes reconstituting committees such as a special body examining Canada-China relations.

Parties agree on hybrid Commons sittings

Overdose deaths drop in August from July in B.C.

Overdose deaths drop in August from July in B.C.
Data from the coroners service show overdose deaths began increasing in B.C. just as the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March, when 113 people died, up from 73 in February.

Overdose deaths drop in August from July in B.C.

Five highlights from the throne speech

Five highlights from the throne speech
Aiming to make Canada a world leader in clean technology, the Liberals promise a new fund to attract investments in making zero-emissions products. The government will also cut the corporate tax rate in half for these companies.

Five highlights from the throne speech

Liberals vow wage-subsidy extension, EI revamp

Liberals vow wage-subsidy extension, EI revamp
Today, the Liberals' throne speech promised to extend the subsidies to summer 2021, acknowledging the economic situation facing many employers is still fraught.

Liberals vow wage-subsidy extension, EI revamp