Two Senators once denied Indian status fight bill so others can gain rights
Long before Senator Lillian Dyck became the first First Nations woman to sit in the Upper Chamber, white Parliamentarians signed laws stripping women of their Indian status and the ability to confer that legal identity to their descendants. The Saskatchewan Senator can trace discriminatory Canadian legislation through her lineage, an imposed heirloom she passed to […]
Woo, Saint-Germain running unopposed for Independent Senators Group leadership on joint ticket
Senators Yuen Pau Woo and Raymonde Saint-Germain are offering themselves as a one-two punch in the race to choose new leaders for the Independent Senators Group, soon to be the most numerous group in the Upper Chamber. The two Senators sent a letter to their colleagues in the ISG Sept. 6 announcing a joint run […]
Senate needs ‘written standard’ to restrict bills being killed, amended: retired Sen. Baker
The Senate should draft a written standard to inform new members about the traditional limitations on their power, says retired Senator George Baker, citing the increasingly-independent Senate’s push to amend legislation more often. “The Senate doesn’t have the jurisdiction to defeat legislation that is thoroughly dealt with in the House of Commons, voted on, and […]
Where words matter: shaping the national story one comment at a time
OTTAWA—With the House back after the summer, the war of words on Parliament Hill continues. Thousands of pages of transcripts from Commons speeches, committee hearings, and other events attended by MPs and public officials will be compiled as usual. Out across the country, there’s no doubt a lot of people will think it’s all the […]
Senate’s back to business: pre-clearance bill under scrutiny, says McCoy
Both Chambers of Parliament are back to work, and bills about border security, grain transport, Indigenous rights, and impaired driving are the ones to watch in the Senate. Bill C-23, the Preclearance Act, 2016—currently at second reading in the Senate—will be the subject of “an interesting debate,” said Sen. Elaine McCoy (Alberta), the outgoing “facilitator” […]
Status of government bills
House of Commons S-2, Strengthening Motor Vehicle Safety for Canadians Act (second reading) S-5, An Act to amend the Tobacco Act and the Non-smokers’ Health Act (second reading) C-5, An Act to Repeal Division 20 of Part 3 of the Economic Action Plan 2015 Act, No. 1 (second reading) C-12, An Act to Amend the […]
Losing a bridge builder: the death of Gretta Chambers
The death of Gretta Chambers on Sept. 9 did not make national headlines, but it struck a profound chord with Quebecers. Chambers was one of that generation of great Montrealers who sought to build bridges to the francophone community at a time of tension and misunderstanding, and who did it with style and wit. I […]
Liberals maintain double-digit lead despite Khadr payout, proposed tax reforms: poll
PARLIAMENT HILL—The governing Liberals opened the fall session of Parliament with a healthy 12-point lead over the Conservatives, maintaining robust advantages in vote-rich Ontario and Quebec, while flirting with supermajority numbers in Atlantic Canada, a new public opinion poll suggests. The latest survey from Campaign Research, conducted between Sept. 8-11 and released first to The […]
It’s crunch-time on the Hill: getting ready for Centre Block’s big move in summer 2018
PARLIAMENT HILL—It’s crunch-time for renovations on Parliament Hill, with completion deadlines coming up next summer for the West Block, the Government Conference Centre, and the first phase of the new underground Visitors’ Welcome Centre. Construction work has already been actively ongoing on the Hill for a decade, and by 2018 this massive undertaking will have […]
Why do we have anti-terrorism laws if we are not going to use them?
OTTAWA—I don’t get it. We make a big deal of terrorism these days, too big in my opinion, but we have collectively decided that terrorism is a serious threat (which it is) and that we need to deal with it. Part of our response is making sure organizations like CSIS and the RCMP have enough […]
