What We’re Watching
- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly will travel to Bali, Indonesia on Tuesday and Wednesday to attend the 2022 G20 Summit.
- Afterwards, they will depart for the 18th Summit of La Francophonie in Djerba, Tunisia, taking place on Saturday and Sunday.
- The House of Commons will continue to debate the implementation of the Fall Economic Statement and budget measures this week.
In the House
- The House will be mainly focused this week on second reading debate of bill C-32, the FES/Budget Implementation Act.
Committee Business
- INDU will meet today to discuss bill C-244, which looks to amend the copyright act.
- TRAN will meet today to discuss the impact of commercial shipping on shoreline erosion.
- INAN will meet today to discuss bill C-29 which looks to establish a National Council for Reconciliation.
- CIIT will meet Tuesday to discuss the potential trade impact of the US Inflation Reduction Act.
- HESA will meet Tuesday to discuss the shortage of over-the-counter pediatric medication.
- RNNR will meet Tuesday to discuss federal support for various natural resource industries.
- INDU will meet Thursday for clause-by-clause review of bill C-235, an act respecting the building of a green economy in the prairies.
- CHPC will meet Friday for clause-by-clause review of bill C-18.
In the Senate
- SECD will meet today to discuss issues relating to security and defence in the Arctic.
- APPA will meet Tuesday to discuss the constitutional, treaty, political and legal. responsibilities to First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.
- NFFN will meet Tuesday to discuss bill C-31.
- TRCM will meet Tuesday to discuss bill C-11.
ICYMI
- Dr. Margo Greenwood was appointed as an independent Senator for British Columbia on Thursday.
- Labrador MP and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and Minister of Northern Affairs Yvonne Jones announced that she would be taking a leave of absence after she was diagnosed with cancer for a second time. Jones said the leave of absence will last a couple of months to allow her to undergo treatment.
- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly attended the 2022 ASEAN summit in Cambodia which concluded yesterday.
- In advance of the trip, Minister Joly outlined the themes of the federal government’s long awaited Indo-Pacific strategy in a speech at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy on Wednesday.
- Federal Minister of Health Jean-Yves Duclos met with his Provincial and Territorial counterparts last week. Canada’s Premiers released a statement following the meeting noting that no progress had been made regarding an increase to the Canada Health Transfer.
- Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth Marci Ien announced Canada’s first-ever national action plan to end gender-based violence on Monday. The 10-year plan was reached in agreement with all Canada’s provinces and territories except Quebec.
#ONpoli
- Ontario Premier Doug Ford extended an olive branch to striking education workers last week, committing to repeal Bill 28, the controversial legislation that imposed a contract on Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) workers using the notwithstanding clause.
- The Ford government also withdrew its Ontario Labour Relations Board complaint which attempted to declare the CUPE walkout illegal.
- A Federal Court judge ruled that Premier Ford and former solicitor general Sylvia Jones would not have to testify at the Emergencies Act inquiry due to “parliamentary privilege”.
- The latest leaked Ontario Health report obtained by Liberal MPP Dr. Adil Shamji suggests the situation in overcrowded and overworked hospitals is getting worse as the COVID-19 and respiratory virus season hits full stride.
#ABpoli
- Premier Danielle Smith will return to the Legislature following her victory in the Brooks-Medicine Hat byelection on Tuesday.
- Justice Minister Tyler Shandro’s mandate letter was released and prioritizes the implementation of the Alberta Sovereignty Act and protections for the unvaccinated. Sandro has stated that the sovereignty act is the main priority and will be ready by next month.
- Politicians from Alberta’s counties and municipal districts are not happy with a proposed program that would compel oil and gas companies to clean up abandoned wells by giving them royalty credits.
- Rural Municipalities of Alberta held its annual conference last week with Premier Danielle Smith and Opposition Leader Rachel Notley both attending the four day event.
#BCpoli
- David Eby will be sworn in as the Premier of British Columbia on Friday at the Musqueam Community Centre in Vancouver, rather than in the provincial capital of Victoria. The Musqueam First Nation’s Chief said the location is a powerful symbol of reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.
- The union representing members of the Surrey Police Service said that 94 per cent of officers have “no intention” of joining the RCMP, despite a suggestion from Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke that they do just that.
- A motion set to come before the new Vancouver City Council proposes allocating $4.5 million from the city’s 2023 operating budget to enable the Vancouver Police Department to hire 100 new police officers and $1.5 million for Vancouver Coastal Health to hire new mental health nurses. Both were key campaign promises by Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim.
#ATLpoli
- Nova Scotia Minister of Finance Allan MacMaster stated the federal government has forbidden the province from reducing any tax that would negate the carbon levy Ottawa will soon impose on the province. Nova Scotia’s only federal cabinet minister, Sean Fraser, says Nova Scotia’s minister of finance is wrong to blame Ottawa for not being able to lower the province’s 15-cent-per-litre tax on gasoline and diesel.
- The federal government announced a cash injection of nearly $1.8 million through Net Zero Atlantic for new offshore wind projects in Nova Scotia.
- New Brunswick’s second-quarter fiscal update now forecasts a surplus of $774.4 million — more than 22 times higher than the $35.2 million surplus predicted by Finance Minister Ernie Steeves in the provincial budget in March.
- The Newfoundland and Labrador government is suing a seal processor in Fleur de Lys, on the Baie Verte Peninsula, accusing it of not paying back a $1-million loan.