Roundup: The slow trickle out of caucus

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Two more Conservative senators have left the fold to sit as independents, which is showing some of the strain on the caucus in that chamber. Senators Michel Rivard and Diane Bellemare both opted to leave the caucus, but we’ll see if they’re the last ones to do so, particularly as the Senate becomes more used to more independence on all fronts. In Rivard’s case, it was in part because of growing frustrations that were particularly felt after the last election where those senators were shunted aside, and not allowed to participate – Harper’s preferred tactic to dealing with the expenses scandals that largely happened under his watch with people that he appointed. For some of these senators, who were long-time members of the party and organizers, that sidelining hurt (and yes, there are still bruised feelings on the Liberal side of the Senate after they were kicked out of national caucus). As for Bellemare, she was already charting an independent course before the last election, and she was one of the senators who rebelled and broke ranks over those labour bills, and she carried on a very principled opposition from within her own party’s ranks, even as PMO leaned on the Senate to pass them (and when they didn’t pass C-377 the first time around and that caucus nearly revolted after then-Senate Leader Marjory LeBreton threatened and cajoled them, she subsequently resigned). As part of her resignation from caucus, Bellemare said she is looking to explore the creation of a quasi-third party in the Senate, a way for the independent senators to pool resources and one imagines give themselves leverage for things like more committee assignments and the like. The Senate is already looking at ways to reform their committee assignment processes, and the growing numbers of independent senators will likely make the work all the more urgent – particularly once the new appointees start rolling in. And while I’m not yet ready to declare the demise of parties within the Senate, it is starting to look like the Conservatives may have to make some changes in the way their Senate caucus operates lest they start losing yet more members.

Good reads:

  • Did the CRA give wealthy tax evaders special privilege in letting them pay without penalty and avoiding costly lawsuits? Maybe.
  • Ralph Goodale promises a review of why we don’t arrest and charge more people who return from fighting abroad illegally.
  • MPs voted to give more funds to the newly merged Parliamentary Protective Services while there are still misgivings about that merger as a whole.
  • Classy as ever, Cheryl Gallant linked the death of Nathan Cirillo, terrorists’ citizenship, refugees and a draw for an Easter Ham on her website.
  • The next series of banknotes will feature prominent women, but they need to be a) real and not fictional, and b) have been dead for at least 25 years.
  • The Canadian Forces have named a female naval captain to head the much-criticised Joint Personnel Support Unit.
  • Immigration levels this year will focus more on family reunification and refugees over economic immigrants.
  • In another deputy minister shuffle, the government brought in two individuals not from the federal public service to fill roles.
  • Here’s yet another look at MPs-as-young-mothers.
  • Susan Delacourt wonders if politics is getting better for women.
  • Paul Wells looks at the Canada-US relationship under Trudeau and Obama in comparison to recent governments/administrations.

Odds and ends:

The Conservatives and NDP voted against the new Iraq mission. General Vance has assured us that our soldiers can shoot first if threatened by ISIS.

Liberal MPs voted down a Conservative request to have Bombardier officials testify at committee about the state of their finances.

Mauril Bélanger will be Honorary Speaker for Members’ Statements and the first round of QP today.