Tag Archives: Dean Del Mastro

Roundup: No summer vacation yet for senators

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The Commons has risen for the summer, and MPs have all fled the oppressive, muggy heat of Ottawa for their ridings. The Senate will still sit for another week, possibly two, depending on how long it takes them to pass the three bills that have been identified as their current priorities – the omnibus budget bill (which they’ve been doing extensive pre-study on for the past several weeks), the refugee reform bill (which the government needs passed before June 30th, lest last year’s refugee bill comes into force before this one does), and the copyright reform bill (which is an issue with the forthcoming TPP negotiations). During the end-of-sitting press conference yesterday morning, Senate opposition leader James Cowan noted that the government has made the unusual step of bringing in time allocation on those bills (which is actually a rarity in the Senate), which limits the role that Senators are supposed to play in our system, which is of course more in-depth study of legislation and the “sober second thought” of being a step removed from partisan and electoral politics. Not that these traditional considerations have stopped the current government, but what can you do?

A new Commissioner of Elections has been appointed amidst the various robocall investigations and the spending irregularities of Dean Del Mastro. But before anyone gets any particular ideas about how this is really a surprise or some Harper conspiracy to silence those investigations, his job was posted back in February, so no one should really read too much into it. On the subject of Del Mastro, it seems that his claims that he knew nothing about the investigation into his spending have been contradicted by further affidavits by Elections Canada officials. Oops.

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QP: The price for being at the table

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The G20 over, Harper was back in the House today for what will probably be the penultimate QP of the spring sitting. (All those in favour of getting the blazes out of Ottawa with its oppressive muggy heat, please say ‘yay.’ And so on). Thomas Mulcair, scripted questions waiting on his miniature lectern, led off by asking Harper a trio of questions regarding Canada’s entry into the TPP negotiations, and what exactly we were willing to give up to get to the table. Harper simply reiterated how great the “jobs and growth” agenda was, which trade is a part of. Peggy Nash wondered about how it was the PBO “overstepped” his mandate when not that long ago he was praised for having improved the financial reporting process in Parliament. Tony Clement insisted that a parliamentary committee voted that he wasn’t doing his job – ignoring the context of said report and how it was actually about a turf war the PBO was having with the Parliamentary Librarian. Oops. But then Nash decided to call out Clement to repeat allegations that the PBO wasn’t doing his job – outside of the House! And thus officially ended Nathan Cullen’s promise that he was going to keep the NDP from engaging in the “silly season” that happens around this time of year. Bob Rae was up next and he too wanted to know about the issue of the PBO getting the information he requested, and Harper insisted that they provide all information by the usual means. But for his final question, Rae took everyone by surprise and wondered if Harper was going to be sticking to the planned October 2015 election date given that some seven provinces are also holding elections at that same time. Harper, after joking about the Liberals’ motives for wondering about election timing this far out, said that they were aware of the pile-up and were having discussions with the provinces about it.

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QP: A refusal to apologise

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With Harper still in Los Cabos for the G20 meeting, and with Jason Kenney in the news over a curse-laden email, it was up to John Baird to again take on the role as back-up PM du jour. And when Thomas Mulcair kicked off QP by asking whether there would be another omnibus budget bill in the fall – giving the oh-so-clever “more like ominous bill” as part of his answer – to which John Baird touted their focus on jobs and growth. When Mulcair turned to the issues of transparency and accountability in respect to the PBO’s search for data on the cuts (Baird: Yay Accountability Act! Oh, and the PBO has overstepped his mandate). Linda Duncan was up next to give a grave and sanctimonious account of Jason Kenney’s email in which he called the Deputy Premier of Alberta “a complete and utter asshole” – though she couldn’t repeat that in the House. Kenney stood up and not only didn’t apologise, but hit back at Duncan and the NDP for not supporting the development of the oilsands and then once again distorted the “Dutch disease” comments. Bob Rae was then up and wondered why Kenney refused to apologise. Kenney continued to not apologise, but touted his government’s “close working relationship” with Alberta and oh, he got 76 percent of the vote in his riding during the last election – as though that gives him a mandate to insult provincial representatives. Rae idly wondered what Kenney would have called him if he got 80 percent of the vote, but Kenney stuck to his non-apology.

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Roundup: Pressuring the Clerk of the Privy Council

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As his showdown with the federal government over details of the budget cuts intensifies, the Parliamentary Budget Officer, Kevin Page, obtained a legal opinion from a respected constitutional lawyer to try to pressure the Clerk of the Privy Council to giving up the information he’s requested. Page says he doesn’t want to have to take the government to court to get the data because it means that basically he’s lost – he won’t get the information in time for it to be useable, but at the same time, it’s a battle he needs to wage before the government treats him and his office with further contempt. Of course, this is all related to the ongoing contempt the Conservatives have been showing to Parliament over their refusal to turn over any of the requested financial data, no matter that IT’S THE FIRST DUTY OF PARLIAMENT TO CONTROL THE PUBLIC PURSE. But who cares about MPs doing their own jobs when they can (try to) get the PBO to do it for them and fight their battles for them?

The NDP made one last effort to kill the omnibus budget bill with a “reasoned amendment” that it not move to third reading. Not surprisingly, it was voted down, and the bill is now on its way to the Senate.

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QP: Never mind the PBO, check the Public Accounts

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The first Question Period of the last sitting week of the spring semester of the Commons kicked off with Thomas Mulcair inquiring about the legal challenge that the Parliamentary Budget Officer was bringing forward since he wasn’t getting the answers that were due to him on the government’s cuts. Conservative backbenchers scoffed as Kevin Page’s legal experts were referenced, and John Baird, acting as today’s back-up PM du jour, studiously avoided referencing the PBO at all as he talked about how financial data was continuing to be released as it always has been, through the Quarterly Reports and the Public Accounts. Peggy Nash reiterated the questions, for which Tony Clement reiterated the answer, before Nash moved onto how the omnibus budge bill was going to punish seniors, to which Diane Finley assured her that seniors were better off under their government than they had been previously. Bob Rae then got up to not only restate the case for the PBO to get those numbers, but to remind the Conservatives that they had previously been found in contempt of parliament because of their refusal to turn over the necessary figures. Baird insisted that they were elected on a plan that they were following through on, which again studiously avoided the issue entirely.

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Roundup: Pushback, rhetoric and hyperbole

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Some Conservative ministers are quietly concerned that the pushback over the omnibus budget bill will mean that it will become harder for them to get away with such tactics in the future. Aaron Wherry tries to put it into context with fears in omnibus legislation past, and reminds us that the price for democracy is eternal vigilance. Here’s a look at the rhetoric and hyperbole that has accompanied the bill and the vote-a-thon.

After years of delays, Stephen Harper announced that Canada will be building a new Windsor-Detroit bridge.

A BC Superior court has struck down the ban on assisted suicide. The federal government is reviewing the decision, but will likely appeal, especially as a private member’s bill on the subject was defeated only a couple of years ago (which really isn’t surprising considering how afraid Parliamentarians are of making important decisions and wanting the courts to do it for them so that they can shift the blame for any fall-out).

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Roundup: Moral victory at report stage

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After 22 hours of solid votes, the omnibus budget bill has passed Report Stage. There were no amendments passed, but the opposition still claims moral victory, and they did turn the public’s attention to the bill, which really was the whole point. The question remains, of course, whether the public will still care by September, let alone by 2015?

The Supreme Court has set a date of July 10th to hear the Etobicoke Centre appeal. Looks like Ted Opitz isn’t going to get the summer barbecue circuit after all (not that he isn’t being given an inordinate amount of Members’ Statements and backbench suck-up questions in QP at the moment).

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QP: Last stabs at the omnibudget

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Thomas Mulcair started off QP with one of those polite gimme questions that leaders occasionally ask one another, in this case on the situation in Syria – which Mulcair asked in English and then repeated immediately in French in the same 35 second block. Harper gave a perfunctory reply about how they’re working with their allies about binding sanctions, and then it was back to business as usual. Mulcair asked a pair of questions on the omnibus budget bill and the NRTEE’s final report today about the oilsands and greenhouse gas emissions. Harper responded by saying that when they took office, emissions were growing steadily but have levelled off. Peggy Nash was up next wondering about the effect of the EI changes on women, which got a rote talking point from Kellie Leitch, followed by Lisa Raitt giving her assurances about contractual obligations for income equity. Bob Rae was greeted with a standing ovation from all sides when he got up to speak, given his announcement earlier in the morning (though really, he’s not retiring), to which Rae quipped “Now they love me.” His first two questions were on Harper calling a first ministers’ meeting on national economic and energy strategies, which Harper insisted that he consults all the time and not just with premiers, and for his last question, Rae asked about the Del Mastro situation – with Del Mastro sniping “That’s a lie!” the whole while. Harper shrugged it off and said that they should treat all members with more consideration. Erm, okay.

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Roundup: Commence the voting marathon

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Today begins the marathon of voting. Kady O’Malley’s estimates are that it should get underway between about 5:45 and 7 pm, depending on how quickly Orders of the Day happen after QP, and then we’re into somewhere around 24 hours worth of votes, again depending on how long each vote takes (the NDP has on several occasions in this parliament dragged out votes themselves by rising very slowly when their turns come).

Uh oh – timestamped call logs are showing that Dean Del Mastro’s version of what happened in regards to the election expenses he’s now under investigation for may not quite line up. He claims the cheque was based on a quote for services that he eventually cancelled and was refunded for, but we’re still waiting for confirmation of that.

Here’s a look at what’s left on the government’s legislative agenda, and what they’re going to look at pushing through before they rise at the end of next week.

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QP: Power or lack thereof corrupting

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With Stephen Harper back in the House after nearly two weeks away, it remained to be seen how the drama would play out. And, well, there really wasn’t a lot of drama. Thomas Mulcair asked a couple of rote questions on getting Harper to justify the environmental changes in the omnibus budget bill, and Harper responded calmly that there was still going to be a rigorous process for environmental assessment that included timelines for investors. For his final question, Mulcair asked why Harper had such a change of heart when it came to his opposition to omnibus bills. Harper gave a recitation about how it was a bill full of comprehensive measures for jobs and growth, and the economy, and sunshine and rainbows (well, okay, maybe not those last two). Libby Davies was up next to decry the cuts to health transfers to the provinces, and Ted Menzies bet Leona Aglukkaq to the punch and talked about how the transfers were still increasing and included a floor should the economy not grow, though Aglukkaq did respond to the supplemental question, during which she called Davies’ questions misleading. Bob Rae was up next, and wondered if Harper’s change of heart when it comes to omnibus bills meant that he had been corrupted by power. While Harper gave pretty rote responses about the comprehensive measures for his first two responses, on his final response he noted that Rae had promised not to run for permanent leader and now seemed to be changing his mind, which must mean that it’s a lack of power that corrupts. Oh, snap!

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