Roundup: Hostile witnesses

Kady O’Malley looks at how sex workers were treated as hostile witnesses at the Justice Committee, in particular by Conservative MP Stella Ambler – who, it should be noted, isn’t even a regular member of that committee. Any of their experiences in which they stated that they weren’t victims were often dismissed or challenged as being somehow untrue, which is unfortunate but not surprising given that the government has a narrative around this bill that they intend to push.

Meanwhile, Ottawa-area sex workers have debated releasing the names of MPs who are clients – especially those who have been supporters of the prostitution bill – but have ultimately decided against it, largely because discretion is their business and it would be career suicide. That said, the window is open for those who have since left the profession.

A Parliamentary Budget Officer report shows that there are no real incremental costs to public service sick leave, and that the few departments that do backfill positions (such as prison guards and CBSA officers) do so at such an marginal cost that there’s no fiscal impetus to change the sick leave system. Tony Clement immediately changed his narrative and said that it’s not about cost but about modernizing the system. Okay then.

Rogers Communications has announced that henceforth, it will no longer give basic customer information to police or security agencies without first seeing a warrant. After the recent Supreme Court decision, one hopes we’ll see more of this from other telecom companies.

The NDP want an external look into the CRA’s recent spate of audits against charities for political activities. Part of the problem is that the audits are taking a lot of time and resources for the charities, especially as some drag on up to two years. But on the other hand, is it not CRA’s job to ensure that rules are followed, and that these charities have their books in order?

Representatives of the film and television industry met with Chris Alexander in Vancouver yesterday to discuss their concerns about how changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker programme affects them, especially with the increased cost and paperwork whenever they bring in foreign actors or directors.

With the leadership race question (more or less) settled, the AFN meeting in Halifax turned to the topic of education, and what they propose the next steps to be now that they’ve rejected the government’s plans, though that has divided them as many saw the bill – and the money attached – as a necessary first step.

The Royal Canadian Navy is launching a second investigation into misconduct, this one specifically focused on the allegations around what happened with HMCS Whitehorse, which was recalled from the RIMPAC exercise. The leadership aboard the ship will be under review, but it should also be noted that the ship was largely crewed by reservists, which may also be a factor. The broader investigation into misconduct within the RCN will quite possibly centre around the use of alcohol aboard-ship, seeing as our navy allows things like beer machines aboard, whereas the US Navy has a policy of “dry” ships for the past century.

Nick Taylor-Vaisey delves further into the Senate attrition nonsense debate, which is a good read. I would add that the line about “from time to time” in the constitution around appointments is a way of saying that there is no fixed calendar for appointments, meaning that they should be made whenever they come up, and that it’s really not a legal blind-eye to attrition – just as the language of “shall” is imperative and not a suggestion.

Aaron Wherry begins a lengthy and frank discussion on carbon emission policies in Canada and our seeming paralysis so long as we keep insisting on waiting for the Americans to make the next move.

Colby Cosh looks at the potential nomination run of Jodie Emery for the Liberals, and wonders if she may instead create more headaches for Conservatives than Liberals, particularly as she reminds the Conservatives’ libertarian membership that they really don’t have a home in that party any longer.

The by-election in Whitby–Oshawa hasn’t been called yet to replace the late Jim Flaherty, but the Liberals are about to acclaim their candidate. I can’t wait for the by-election to be called, so that we’ll have more lazy media narratives about how this will be yet another “test for Trudeau.”

In the case of would-be NDP candidate Paul Manly’s rejected nomination, NDP national director Anne McGrath responded to the concerns, but offered little in the way of reasons. Over in the Conservative ranks, a great deal of effort is being made to ensure that the nominations are open, while party officials are recommending that both Eve Adams and her rival both be banned from the Oakville North–Burlington nomination race, though that decision will be up to a nomination committee.

Someone using a House of Commons IP address (of which there are only about four) defaced Dean Del Mastro’s Wikipedia page, and so he went crying to the Speaker to try and find out who did it.

And Andrew Coyne gives the Conservatives a right kick in the arse for their whinging that the Courts have too much power, when the whole point of legislation is to keep government in check.