As Bill C-33 gathers dust, opposition MPs want to know why ‘critical’ election law changes haven’t moved since first reading
The Liberals’ promised changes to Canada’s elections laws have been gathering dust since November 2016 when Bill C-33 was first introduced, but with the next election in October 2019, opposition MPs want to know why the government hasn’t moved on the “unloved” bill. “There’s a lot here [in Bill C-33] that’s critical to a healthy, functioning […]
Duterte: mass murderer in power
LONDON, U.K.—Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte once said that Ferdinand Marcos, who was overthrown by the first non-violent revolution (‘People Power’) in 1986, would have been the Philippines’ best president “if he did not become a dictator.” Just as Duterte himself had the potential to be the Philippines’ best president if he had not become a […]
House goes ‘bananas’ before Conservatives throw in the towel after more than 20 hours of voting
After more than 20 hours of straight votes in the House of Commons, the Conservatives threw in the towel Friday afternoon, deciding to cut short more than 250 consecutive votes they had planned in an effort to pressure the government into allowing the prime minister’s national security adviser to testify before a parliamentary committee. MPs, […]
Speaker clears way for Senate to unplug Sen. Beyak’s website
Debate on a motion in the Red Chamber to remove Senator Lynn Beyak’s website from Senate servers is going ahead, after Speaker George Furey ruled Thursday that the motion was not a breach of Sen. Beyak’s parliamentary privilege. The ruling by Sen. Furey (Newfoundland and Labrador) comes a day after the Senate ethics officer, Pierre […]
NDP MP Erin Weir met with harassment investigator last week
NDP MP Erin Weir says he met with the person investigating harassment allegations against him for the first time last week, more than a month after the investigation started. The Saskatchewan MP said NDP caucus services had asked him not to disclose information about the investigation and he has respected the request. But he said […]
Amid tech’s dark days, wisdom from a mayor
Amid the considerable coverage churn of the Cambridge Analytica scandal and the resulting widespread neurosis over what people have told shadowy Facebook quizzers about their pizza preferences and incriminating spirit animals, it’s worth noting that an excellent speech was delivered last week on this very subject. At South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, London Mayor […]
Russia tried to kill Sergei Skripal? I doubt it
OTTAWA—Last week, Canada joined in the chorus of countries demanding an explanation from Russia as to how a weapons-grade nerve agent was used in an apparent assassination attempt in Salisbury, in the United Kingdom. The suspected target in this attack was former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, who was in fact a double agent for Britain. […]
Status of government bills
HOUSE OF COMMONS Second reading: C-5, An Act to Repeal Division 20 of Part 3 of the Economic Action Plan 2015 Act, No. 1 C-12, An Act to amend the Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Reestablishment and Compensation Act C-27, An Act to amend the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985 C-28, An Act to amend […]
Time to plug loopholes that make it ‘almost an invitation’ for foreign money to influence elections, Liberals, opposition agree
The Liberal government says it plans to introduce new rules to limit foreign influence and money in federal elections—action opposition Parliamentarians and political observers say is needed now before it turns into a real problem. The government wants to ensure “our democratic institutions are protected and defended from cyber threats and foreign interference. That includes […]
PMO’s Purchase, McNair welcome babies
The luck of the Irish came for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s director of communications Kate Purchase who gave birth to baby boy Xristos Thomas Periklis Tsergas on St. Patrick’s Day. “Befitting a Greek Irish boy, our Son Xristos (but we call him Kit) Thomas Periklis Tsergas as born this morning, on St Patrick’s Day at […]
