As Liberals trumpet merits of NSICOP, opposition MPs want ‘supremacy of Parliament’ respected
With the House Speaker deliberating on a question of privilege after the Liberal government refused to turn over ordered documents to the Commons, MPs are questioning whether an executive branch committee of Parliamentarians is the appropriate body to review documents that may contain sensitive national security information. Conservative House Leader Gérard Deltell (Louis-Saint-Laurent, Que.) raised […]
New vision for National Press Building requested after years of decline
The National Press Building, once a social hub, has lost many of tenants over the years, but a new vision document in the works aims to revitalize it for the future, Parliamentary Press Gallery executives say. Located at 150 Wellington St., just across from the West Block, the National Press Building started its life as […]
O’Regan will need energy to tackle challenges in ‘super-sensitive’ natural resources portfolio
On the natural resources file, Canada’s Green Party parts ways with the federal Liberal government on several key issues, from promoting pipelines to pursuing nuclear power as energy sources. But Annamie Paul, the federal Green leader, said she would rather focus her party’s efforts on finding common ground with the Liberals and the other opposition […]
CBSA workers to start strike votes this week amid Canada-U.S. talks on easing border restrictions
Canada Border Service Agency workers, who have not had a new contract in just under three years, are set to kick off strike votes this week at the same time that Canadians continue to eagerly await the loosening of long-standing border restrictions put in place to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The 9,000-member strong union, which […]
Reflections on anti-Muslim rhetoric from Tory MPs welcome in wake of London attack, but proof will be on campaign trail, say observers
The attempts by some politicians to publicly account for past positions in the wake of the deadly attack on a Muslim family shows “progress” and “self-growth,” but the proof will be in the post-parliamentary pudding for Canadians to evaluate how actions line up with reflective words, say strategists and onlookers. In a targeted June 6 […]
‘I don’t know how Jason Kenney can recover,’ political players say Alberta premier in the fight of his life
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, who continues to step into one controversy after another, is in a fight of his political life, say political insiders who also say they don’t know how long he can stay in the province’s top political job. “He can survive, the question is, will he survive?” said political strategist Stephen Carter, […]
Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson ‘could be persuaded’ to run for federal Liberals in Edmonton Centre, say some Alberta insiders
Justin Trudeau’s Liberals are courting outgoing two-term Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson to be their candidate in Edmonton Centre, political insiders say, but former Liberal MP Randy Boissonnault is also preparing a campaign to try to reclaim the party’s banner in the riding—if the Liberals will let him. Mr. Boissonnault represented Edmonton Centre from 2015 to […]
Canada should revoke diplomatic relations with Holy See if Catholic Church won’t apologize for residential schools; and church should be subpoenaed, search warrants issued, says NDP MP Green
Pope Francis and the Catholic Church should play a role in Canada’s truth and reconciliation after the remains of 215 Indigenous children were discovered last month near the former Kamloops Residential School in British Columbia, say NDP MPs. If the Catholic Church won’t cooperate by releasing documents and allowing investigations of the sites of former […]
‘A pox on both your Houses’: Grits, Tories battle to manipulate dwindling hours left for lawmaking
Procedural gamesmanship has taken over in the House, as the Liberals seek to push through a few priority bills before the summer break, and the Conservatives try to stop them. It seems likely that at least eight substantive government bills will remain in the House when MPs leave for the summer after June 23, and […]
Commons Board of Internal Economy punts matter of Bloc MP sharing nude Amos photo to PROC
The House Procedure and Affairs Committee appears to be the only venue that will examine the case of Liberal MP Will Amos, who last month apologized for urinating during a parliamentary proceeding—his second headline-grabbing incident this year. The powerful Board of Internal Economy (BOIE) had been set to continue the discussion on Liberal Whip Mark […]
