The long, busy week is wrapping up with Opposition Day in the House of Commons, and a smattering of press conferences.
In the chambers:
The day kicks off with debate on an opposition motion from NDP MP Joe Comartin, which looks at time allocation and closure (acts the governments can use to impose time limits on debates at different stages of the legislative process).
See, the government has imposed time limits on a handful of bills this session — long-gun registry, Canadian Wheat Board, the crime bill, back-to-work legislation for Canada Post, the budget bill, adding seats to the House, etc. So Comartin, arguing that limiting debate infringes on the abilities of members to adequately carry out their duty, is asking the Speaker of the House to study and make recommendations to amend the standing orders of the House.
Comartin is asking that the rules require a minister to provide justification when requesting time limits; the the Speaker be able to refries that request; and that criteria be set out to help guide the Speaker in making the decision.
He is asking the Speaker to report back to the House by Feb. 6, 2012.
Quebec NDP MP Robert Aubin will then present his private member’s bill, which seeks to “harmonize the language requirements that apply to federal businesses operating in Quebec with those in force in that province.”
Get daily National news
Bill C-10 (the omnibus crime bill/Safe Streets and Communities Act) is back in the House. It is now at the report stage of its legislative route through Parliament. At this point, members who weren’t or couldn’t be on the committee reviewing the bill (Green or Bloc Quebecois members, for example) get a chance to present amendments.
There are 34 amendments on the record right as of Friday morning, all of which are from Green leader Elizabeth May.
- François Legault resigns as Quebec’s premier with election approaching
- Mark Carney arrives in Beijing to kick off China trade mission
- Statistics Canada is slashing hundreds of jobs, including executives
- B.C. Coastal First Nations say meeting with Carney was ‘productive’, but pipeline position remains
Members will likely start the debate next week.
In committee:
Nothing today.
The rest:
Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq is in Halifax agin today, where provincial health ministers are gathered to discuss federal health transfers. The current deal between the provinces and Ottawa expires in 2014. There is a rally organized to begin outside at noon. The press release for that says the rally will “support the call to protect, strengthen and extend Medicare in the 2014 health care accord.”
This morning, the Senate chamber will be brimming with children in celebration of National Child Day. Liberal Senators Terry Mercer and Jim Munson, and Conservative Senator Ethel Cochrane will host more than 250 youth from the Ottawa area.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Heritage Minister James Moore will be in Vancouver this afternoon to speak at Science World.
Public Safety Minister Vic Toews will be in Winnipeg, touring a recently-completed building at Red River College.
Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose, meanwhile, is in Edmonton, where she’ll make an announcement to address violence against women on university and college campuses. Her announcement will launch the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence.
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty will be at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto to speak at a Canadian Club of Toronto lunch.
Fisheries Minister Keith Ashfield will be announcing an initiative to help people with disabilities in the Fredericton, N.B. area.
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz is in Regina, Sask. to make an announcement at the Canadian Wester Agribition.
Parliamentary secretary to the environment minister Michelle Rempel will be in Calgary to announce steps in caribou conservation in Canada’s mountain national parks.
Minister of State for Science and Technology Gary Goodyear is in Hamilton, where he’ll announce funding for new research partnerships at Canadian colleges.
Six Conservative MPs are making announcements today on behalf of Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, to call attention to increased “settlement funding” for new Canadians.
– Fisheries Minister Keith Ashfield will make the announcement for New Brunswick
– MP Lawrence Toet will do the honours fo Manitoba
– MP Scott Armstrong will be making the announcement in Nova Scotia
– People in Saskatchewan will get the news from MP Kelly Block
– Those in P.E.I will hear from National Revenue Minister Gail Shea
– And last but not least, parliamentary secretary Michelle Rempel will make the announcement for Calgary.
Follow Amy on Twitter @amyminsky
Comments