Forgive me for going super parliamentary wonk for a minute, but this Colby Cosh column in the National Post has me a bit inspired. The issue (and I suggest you read the piece first) is about how interim PC leader Ric McIver was fined by the province’s ethics commissioner for asking a question in QP that could be seen to relate to his wife’s business and basically asking the government for things that could benefit said business. It was later pointed out that only the Speaker can censure a member for things they’ve said, and McIver is launching a court challenge to that effect.

As an officer of parliament, can the commissioner punished an MLA when he’s protected by parliamentary privilege? I’m not actually sure that she can because typically such a commissioner’s ambit is the behaviour of a sitting member when it comes to things like accepting gifts, or ensuring that there are no conflicts of interests in dealings, but I have yet to hear a reasonable case why speech in the Chamber would be covered under that. After all, if he’s asking questions that relate to his wife’s business, then it should be the job of the government to point that out in their responses. This is why they have research departments, after all ­– to fight fire with fire when necessary. Having the premier point out that he seems to be asking for his wife’s benefit would likely embarrass him out of pressing the matter, no? No need for an independent officer of the assembly to step in there.

But I’m also bothered by the fact that this is going to a court challenge, because that’s straying awfully close to that line around interfering in the operations of the legislative branch of government, and parliaments are self-governing. That’s kind of the point – subjecting them to the courts would basically put the Queen back in charge of things, which is not what anyone is after. I’m not sure that a judge should be figuring out the rules of the assembly when it comes to the powers of the commissioner on their behalf. If there is a grey area around what the commissioner’s powers are, it should be up to the assembly – whom the office of the commissioner is a creature of – to make that determination. Anything less is unacceptable when it comes to the supremacy of parliament, which is kind of a big deal, especially when we’re seeing the Auditor General federally trying to over assert his own power in regards to the Senate. We don’t need a bad precedent being set in Alberta that would have terribly ricochet effects elsewhere in our confederation.

Good reads:

• Hints coming from the US may indicate they want tougher rules on auto parts.
• The Americans could be cutting 97 percent of environmental protections around the Great Lakes, which would be a problem for Canada.
• More court stays are on the way because of delays, which is challenging the system to adapt following the Supreme Court’s Jordan decision.
• Here’s a look at how complicated it is to select Yazidi refugees for resettlement in Canada.
• Here’s a look at CBSA’s abilities when it comes to accessing your phone or social media.
• The Keystone XL pipeline might be exempt from orders requiring it to use only American steel, which would be good news for Canadian industry.
• The Senate’s Internal Economy committee will soon start televising their deliberations, whereas it has only been audio for the past year.
• Here’s the government floating a trial balloon about entering into ballistic missile defence, ostensibly to keep the Trumpocalypse at bay.
• Here’s a look at the process for preparing for PMQs in the UK, and the internal government accountability mechanisms.
• Conservative leadership candidates are trying to attract second-choice votes, as it’s a preferential ballot and those could make a big difference.
• Paul Wells looks at the field of choices as Conservative members start getting serious about making a choice.
• Andrew Coyne pays mention to Erin O’Toole’s climate change “plan,” which breaks the Chong’s carbon tax-or-nothing logjam on the field so far.
• Susan Delacourt writes about the correlation between Trump voters and those don’t have passports, and why his not travelling abroad plays to that base.
• Chantal Hébert enumerates a number of false narratives in Canadian politics, just in case we get too smug with what’s going on in the States.

Odds and ends:

Here’s a recap of that Liberal-versus-Conservative MP charity hockey game.

Canadian scientists came up with a better smallpox vaccine, because bioterrorism.