Take Two Billion and Call Me in the Morning | Your Look Ahead from Summa Strategies

4 minute read

What We’re Watching

  • Tomorrow, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will host a first ministers’ meeting with the Premiers in Ottawa to discuss, and potentially finalize, increased federal funding through the Canada Health Transfer (CHT)
  • NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has spent the last week calling for the federal government to use the Canada Health Act to push back against efforts to ‘privatize healthcare’ in Ontario, Alberta, and Manitoba 
  • The Liberal government has introduced legislation to further delay the expansion of medically assisted death (MAID) to cover those suffering solely from a mental illness
  • Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland called for a coordinated provincial-federal strategy to counter the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act’s impact on the competitiveness of Canadian economy, particularly with respect to clean tech investment, during a meeting with finance ministers last week
  • The Liberals continue facing criticisms about the cost of government contracts awarded to external consulting firms. Most recently, NDP MP Gord Johns introduced a motion to expand the scope of the study to include other consulting firms, specifically naming Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Accenture, KPMG and Ernst & Young 
  • Ben Carr, son of the late Liberal Member of Parliament Jim Carr, is seeking the party’s nomination to run for his father’s seat in the upcoming byelection for Winnipeg South Centre

In the House

  • Bill C-11 passed third reading in the Senate with significant amendments last week. The bill has returned to the House of Commons, where the government will decide which amendments to reject, accept, or amend. Minister Rodriguez has stated that he hopes the House of Commons will pass the bill this week
  • Bill C-27, the Digital Charter Implementation Act, is currently at second reading 
  • Bill C-35, the Canada Early Learning and Child Care Act, passed second reading last week, and was referred for consideration at committee to HUMA
  • Bill C-39, An Act to amend An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying), is currently at second reading

Committee Business

  • AGRI will meet today to discuss food price inflation 
  • CIIT will meet today to discuss Canadian mining firms abroad
  • CACN will meet today to discuss Canada-China relations
  • TRAN will meet tomorrow to discuss Air Passenger Protection Regulations
  • FINA will meet tomorrow to discuss Pre-Budget Consultations in advance of the 2023 Budget
  • AGRI will meet on Wednesday to discuss global food insecurity 

In the Senate

  • Bill C-18, the Online News Act, will begin second reading
  • Bill C-22, the Canada Disability Act, will begin second reading after passing third reading in the House and first reading in the Senate last week 
  • Bill C-29, the National Council for Reconciliation Act, is currently at second reading 

Committee Business

  • SECD will meet today to discuss NATO’s role in the Arctic
  • OLLO will meet today to discuss the application of the Official Languages Act. Minister Petitpas Taylor is scheduled to appear as a witness 
  • BANC will meet on Wednesday to discuss Bill C-228, An Act to amend the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act and the Pension Benefits Standards Act

ICYMI

  • Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre and Quebec’s minister responsible for the French language called for the resignation of the federal government’s newly appointed anti-Islamophobia representative Amira Elghawaby based on a past column criticizing Quebec’s Bill 21 
  • Veteran broadcast journalist and former chief political correspondent for Global News and bureau chief for CTV, Tom Clark, was named Canada’s consul general in New York
  • Member of Parliament and former interim Conservative Party leader Candice Bergen has resigned her seat in the House of Commons
  • Last week, the Health Standards Organization (HSO) published 60 pages of comprehensive standards to improve the quality of long-term care homes in Canada

Provincial Updates

#ONPOLI

  • Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones states the Ontario government is willing to share health data with the federal government and fully supports measuring performance outcomes
  • Senior leaders from the Ontario Liberal Party penned an open letter on last week, calling on Ontario Green Party leader Mike Schreiner to run for the leadership of their party
  • Following the announcement of an investigation last month, the Ontario NDP submitted ‘additional evidence’ to the Integrity Commissioner’s office, claiming the Ford government tipped off developers about its plans to develop the Greenbelt
  • ServiceOntario announced the expansion of digital offerings, including online health card renewals, licensing, and allowing residents to book a single appointment for multiple services or family members 

#ABPOLI

  • Alberta Premier Danielle Smith voiced opposition to the extension of federal MAID eligibility to those suffering from a mental illness 
  • Opposition leader Rachel Notley is calling on Premier Smith to end her plans to withdraw from the Canadian Pension Plan, stating most Albertans are opposed to the idea
  • Louis Bull Tribe, an Alberta First Nation, signed a two-year bilateral agreement with the federal government, giving them the autonomy to deliver child welfare services without the provincial government’s involvement 

#BCPOLI

  • In advance of the first ministers’ meeting in Ottawa tomorrow, Premier David Eby said he felt optimistic about the negotiations, and hoped to discuss federal bail reform with the Prime Minister as well
  • Last week, B.C. began the first three-year pilot project in Canada to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of illicit drugs
  • Alberta’s former chief medical officer of health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, has signed a six-month contract to work as a deputy provincial health officer in British Columbia

#ATLPOLI

  • Nova Scotia’s Utility and Review Board has walked back an agreement with the provincial government and approved a 14 percent increase in electricity rates over two years
  • Controversy and criticism grow around New Brunswick’s new universal, mandatory french language program in which students will spend half the school day learning in English and half in French
  • Last week, Newfoundland Minister of Industry, Energy, and Technology attended the North America Prospect Summit in Houston, Texas, to promote resource sector investment opportunities in the province

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