In minority Parliament, Lamoureux suggests no House votes on Mondays and Fridays, a dual Chamber, and more power for MPs
MPs could be given more power, they could stop voting on Mondays and Fridays, and there could be a two-House Chamber to complement the work of the Commons, says Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux, parliamentary secretary to the government House leader, and the one who’s leading the charge to modernize the House in this minority Parliament. […]
Experts split on best path forward for assisted dying legislation
With the March 11 deadline to respond to the Quebec Superior Court ruling that deemed a portion of the federal and Quebec medical assistance in dying legislation unconstitutional fast approaching, and a planned parliamentary review of the legislation in June, experts are split on the best path forward. “It is inappropriate to think about making […]
Journos-turned-MPs applaud CBC’s decision to drop The National’s four-host format
With one Conservative MP and former broadcast journalist suggesting CBC The National’s four-host format was “doomed to fail” and a “disaster” the day it was rolled out, CBC executives acknowledge they took a chance in the face of “fast and furious” changes in audience—and that they stand by the decision to try to “reimagine what […]
Senators return with committee talks, rule changes, and the CUSMA bill on the agenda
Senators will get back to work on Feb. 4 for the first extended sitting period since June, and negotiating the makeup of Senate committees will be one of the first orders of business—one that could shape how key government files and plans for Senate reform are handled. The Senate committees on Internal Economy, Public Safety, […]
Race to the finish: inside the ‘big push’ for digital dominance in the short Conservative leadership contest
The five-month sprint to the Conservative Party leadership election will force the contenders to rely more on digital tools like Facebook and email than they did during the last contest in 2017, shifting the campaigns away from phone calls and handshakes, say strategists and Conservative digital specialists. “I think that the truth is, it’s really […]
Senator Lynn Beyak should be suspended again, says Ethics Committee
The Senate Ethics Committee has recommended that Senator Lynn Beyak be suspended from the Senate again, after it completed a study that found she had not complied with its conditions for returning to the Red Chamber. The committee of five Senators issued a report late Jan. 31 that said Sen. Beyak should be suspended without […]
Senators Gagné, LaBoucane-Benson named to government team in the Red Chamber
Alberta Senator Patti LaBoucane-Benson was named the new government liaison in the Senate this morning, and Manitoba Senator Raymonde Gagné was chosen as the new legislative deputy, filling out the government’s new team in the Red Chamber in time for the Senate’s return on Feb. 4. The appointments were made by the Senator Marc Gold […]
Feds say risk low of coronavirus outbreak in Canada, as WHO declares global health emergency
Health Minister Patty Hajdu says the risk of the coronavirus outbreak spreading to Canada from China remains low, as the WHO moved on Thursday to declare a global health emergency. “The World Health Organization is about helping countries that do not have the same level of sophistication [in their processes] to protect their citizens,” Ms. […]
Conservatives push back on NDP, Liberal motions to create extra vice-chair slot across House committees
PARLIAMENT HILL—After some procedural wrangling, a lengthy recess, and debate, the Procedure and House Affairs Committee ended its meeting on Thursday without a decision on whether to create a third vice-chair across all House committees, punting the discussion to its next meeting. The two-hour meeting of the committee known as PROC was convened to go […]
Coronavirus vaccine could be a year away, says public health chief, as Canada eyes evacuating those stranded in China
Canada’s chief public health officer says a vaccine for the coronavirus that has left more than 130 dead in China and infected more than 6,000 people could be at least a year off. Speaking to members of the House Health Committee on Wednesday evening, Dr. Theresa Tam said that the “current medical treatment is supported […]
