The House has risen for the break. MPs are going home after their caucus meetings this morning (well, except for the Liberals, who have their Xmas party later tonight). And it’s just as well, given how ridiculous things degenerated in QP yesterday.
The Chief Electoral Officer, Marc Mayrand, was before the Commons Procedures and House Affairs committee yesterday to discuss the issue of Conservative MP James Bezan’s election filings being before the court, and whether he should be allowed to sit and vote in the Chamber until the matter has been dealt with. Things, however, apparently got a bit heated as Conservative MP Scott Reid criticised Mayrand for being “overly aggressive” and that it was inappropriate for him to notify the Speaker about Bezan’s dispute. Um, but if Bezan is in breach and sitting inappropriately, then the Speaker should know because the Act says that so long as the MP’s filings are not correct, he or she shouldn’t sit or vote as a member. Mayrand is doing his job, even if Reid doesn’t like it.
The Senate Liberals’ attempt to call a question of privilege on the audit interference issue was shot down by the Speaker, but it was because they waited two weeks to call it, not on the merits of the argument. Over on the Commons side, there is ongoing bickering and in camera drama while the Ethics committee tries to call witnesses about the Benjamin Perrin emails, though that matter remains unresolved. Oh, and chair Pat Martin made his displeasure with the in camera motion be known, for what it’s worth.
Elsewhere in the Senate, different committees are looking at ways to put firm rules in place for future disciplinary actions, including suspensions, so that they are done in a principled way that respects due process and the principles of natural justice, and not the haphazard and expedient way in which the Duffy/Wallin/Brazeau suspensions were done.
Justin Trudeau defends his lousy QP attendance record, saying that Parliament isn’t getting anything done, and that he’s doing more by getting out and meeting Canadians to discuss things that matter to them. And that’s all well and good, but if you want Parliament to matter, then you have to make it matter, and making it matter means showing up and debating in earnest (and no, simply showing up to read speeches into the record, as many MPs do these days, does not count as making it matter).
CSE says that it only seeks the information that the government asks it to, and that sometimes collecting data on our allies helps us to understand world events. The Commissioner – the agency’s watchdog – told a Senate committee that he is looking into allegations that CSE illegally monitored the communications of a small number of Canadians.
Documents filed in Parliament just before it rose say that if we signed onto the F-35 programme that the industrial benefits may be slightly better than previously reported – though the industry minister isn’t saying that this is enough to sway the government.
In amidst the discussions on PTSD touched off by the rash of military suicides, a group of veterans was on the Hill yesterday to also say that the perceived lack of financial options by some veterans is also what’s driving them to suicide, given the problems with the New Veterans Charter and the lump sum payments it offers.
The New Brunswick Mountie who made headlines for smoking marijuana for his PTSD was involved in an altercation in Fredericton and ended up being hit with a stun gun.
Documents obtained by a Vancouver immigration lawyer shows that in the blitz to reduce the backlog of doctors in the system that the government used outdated guidelines, and gave status to some 500 applicants, even though they didn’t necessarily meet the criteria. The government is “reviewing the matter.”
New revelations about the 2011 lawsuit involving the chair of the Royal Canadian Mint shows that the court settlement contained a clause that they not alert the Canada Revenue Agency about it and the offshore tax shelters contained within “except where required by law” – and that the judge signed off on it.
Justice Rothstein has recused himself from hearing the reference on Justice Nadon’s appointment. Rothstein previously sat on the Federal Court of Appeal, like Nadon, and is no doubt looking to avoid the appearance of bias.
Aaron Wherry muses on the Reform Act, and the tension between factionalism and control that exist within party caucuses.
AFN National Chief Shawn Atleo delivered a pre-taped message to a special AFN meeting while he is off at the Mandela memorial in South Africa, and it urged the assembled chiefs to pay heed to Mandela’s message of reconciliation. The special meeting was to discuss the First Nations Education Act, where the First Nations want control over the their education in order to protect their languages and culture, but the minister says that he won’t release new funds until a new framework is agreed to and put into legislation. Also up for discussion were pipelines and the government’s refusal to call an inquiry into missing and murdered Aboriginal women.
It’s been one year since the original Idle No More day of action.
Here are the comparisons of the party leaders’ Xmas cards, with bonus appearance by the Governor General.
And in case you missed it, here is this year’s Xmas rhyme by Liberal MP Rodger Cuzner.