The Commons justice committee yesterday dismissed an investigation of Liberal Party vetting of federal judicial appointments. Opposition MPs had asked that Attorney General David Lametti appear for questioning on the use of Party lists in hiring judges: “It undermines the credibility of those people who have been appointed to the bench.”
Private sector employers for the first time face requirements to speak French under a cabinet bill yesterday introduced in the Commons. Airports, banks, grain mills, interprovincial trucking companies, radio stations, railways, marine shippers and other federally-regulated companies must embrace bilingualism in provinces with a “strong francophone presence,” though the term was not defined: “It is up to us to protect French.”
Exasperated supporters of a bankruptcy law rewrite to benefit pensioners yesterday said the Commons industry committee has spent too much time examining the bill. Parliament is scheduled to adjourn a week from today for a three-month recess: “We’re just going on and on and time is running out.”
A former Liberal MP censured for nepotism argued she broke no rules since her sister was adopted. MP Yasmin Ratansi (Don Valley East, Ont.) yesterday was cited for breach of ethics rules that forbid hiring of family members: “Canadians deserve better.”
Cabinet last night had the Commons rush debate on Bill C-10 until 12:42 am in a scramble to pass Canada’s first legislation to regulate legal internet content. Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault mistakenly claimed regulators cannot cancel programming, though the CRTC has repeatedly suspended radio licenses: “You can’t do that.”
Cabinet cannot release uncensored accounts of an RCMP raid on a federal lab without “putting Canada’s national security at risk,” Health Minister Patricia Hajdu said last night. Members of the Commons Special Committee on Canada-China Relations noted cabinet to date has defied three separate orders to release records: “Do you think we should be cooperating with the military of states that are committing genocide?”
More than a tenth of federal employees say they’re harassed at work, typically by supervisors. The findings of the latest Public Service Employee Survey were based on questionnaires with 188,786 staff nationwide: “After my workday I feel emotionally drained.”
Liberal MP Wayne Easter (Malpeque, P.E.I.), the only union president to chair the Commons finance committee, yesterday announced he’ll retire at the completion of his term. “It’s been my honour,” Easter, 71, told MPs: “You must never, ever forget where you came from.”
Canadians over 55 continue to vote at high rates not seen in the general population for more than a half century, according to Elections Canada data. Voters in the Maritimes and two Prairie provinces also go to polls in greater numbers: “Turnout generally increased with age.”
Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault faces a deadline of just eight business days to push an internet regulation bill through the House and Senate. Bill C-10 cleared the Commons heritage committee Friday under a cabinet gag order: “These are strange times.”
Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson’s department ordered confidential research on a proposal to have mining and pipeline companies make cash payments to environmental groups as a condition of federal licensing. “Support was highest for companies to pay into a fund that supports conservation,” said a report.
The taxpayer-owned Canada Infrastructure Bank is in breach of a committee order for disclosure of million-dollar bonuses it paid executives. The Bank refused comment on why it concealed details of executive pay sought by the Commons transport committee: ‘Why do you think you should be able to keep your compensation secret from taxpayers?’
A bill to honour multilingualism has cleared the Senate social affairs committee. Senators said the bill to proclaim a Mother Language Day would promote “linguistic diversity” for those raised in households that are neither English nor French: “I always say ‘immigrant’ is only for the first three years. Then they are Canadian.”
The Department of Natural Resources will not detail plans for 49,421 acres of pristine, taxpayer-owned coal lands in southeast British Columbia slated for auction since 2013. Cabinet on Friday said it will refuse permits for all new coal mining ventures in Canada: “That resource is a scarce resource.”
Poet Shai Ben-Shalom, an Israeli-born biologist, writes for Blacklock’s each and every Sunday: ” A bird in the hand is alleged to be better than two in the bush…”
