What We’re Watching
- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that four byelections will take place on June 19 to elect new MPs in Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba. The byelections will be to fill the seats of Liberal cabinet minister Marc Garneau (Notre-Dame-de-Grâce–Westmount), Conservative MP Dave Mackenzie (Oxford) former Conservative interim leader Candice Bergen (Portage–Lisgar), and the late Jim Carr (Winnipeg South Centre).
- Maxime Bernier, Leader of the People’s Party of Canada, announced that he would be running in the Portage-Lisgar byelection to replace Bergen.
- Prime Minister Trudeau is set to attend the G7 leaders’ summit in Japan this week. The Prime Minister’s Office stated that his priorities for the meeting include discussing support for Ukraine and the transition to cleaner economies.
- The federal government announced its plans to move forward with the creation of a registry of foreign agents. The government plans to table a bill, either this summer or fall, to help prevent China and other countries from meddling in Canada’s affairs.
In the House
- Bill C-13, An Act to amend the Official Languages Act, is currently at report stage.
- Bill C-35, the Canada Early Learning and Childcare Act, is currently at report stage.
- Bill C-47, the Budget Implementation Act, is currently being considered in committee.
- Bill C-244, An Act to amend the Copyright Act (diagnosis, maintenance and repair) is currently at report stage.
- Bill C-27, An Act to enact the Consumer Privacy Protection Act, is being considered in committee.
Committee Updates
- OGGO will meet today to discuss Bill C-290, An Act to amend the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act.
- INAN will meet today and Wednesday to discuss the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer’s Report on the Estimates.
- CACN will meet today to discuss Canada-People’s Republic of China relations.
- SRSR will meet tomorrow to discuss the Government of Canada’s graduate scholarship and post-doctoral fellowship program.
In the Senate
- Bill C-13, An Act to amend the Official Languages Act, is currently at Senate pre-study.
- Bill C-18, the Online News Act, is currently being considered at committee.
- Bill C-22, the Canada Disability Act, is currently being considered at committee.
- Bill C-47, the Budget Implementation Act, is currently at Senate pre-study.
Committee Updates
- SECD will meet today to discuss issues relating to national security and defence generally, as well as Bill C-47, the Budget Implementation Act.
- RIDR will meet today to examine issues that may arise from time to time relating to human rights generally.
- OLLO will meet today to discuss matters relating to minority-language health services.
- NFFN will meet tomorrow and Wednesday to study Bill C-47, the Budget Implementation Act.
- TRCM will meet tomorrow and Wednesday to discuss elements contained in Division 2 of Part 3, and Divisions 22 and 33 of Part 4 of Bill C-47, the Budget Implementation Act. On Wednesday, Minister Alghabra will appear.
ICYMI
- A report was released last week stating that while Canada did as well, or better than, many of its allies during the collapse of the Afghan government in 2021, poor planning and a chaotic environment contributed to the imperfect response.
- The Deputy Prime Minister visited Japan last week for the G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ meeting. Topics discussed included creating clean economies, increasing tax fairness, and holding Russia accountable for the invasion of Ukraine.
- The federal government unveiled a new, ‘state-of-the-art’ passport last week. The new passport will feature advanced security features and a significant graphic adjustment.
- Last Monday, Canada expelled Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei in response to the ongoing allegations of Chinese interference in Canadian politics. China has since expelled a Canadian diplomat in Shanghai, calling it a “reciprocal countermeasure”.
- Thousands of protesters arrived in Ottawa last Thursday for the annual ‘March for Life’ event. MP Cathay Wagantall’s Bill C-311 has revived the abortion debate in Parliament, with Liberal and NDP members calling the private members bill a veiled attempt to limit abortion rights.
Provincial Updates
#ONPoli
- Toronto-based MP Nate Erskine-Smith unveiled his leadership campaign for the Ontario Liberal Party last week. He is the first candidate to officially do so.
- Premier Doug Ford stated that Brampton is “not going to be shafted by Mississauga or anyone else” amid a possible reorganization of Peel Region.
- An OPP officer was shot dead and two were injured on Thursday while responding to a disturbance outside of Ottawa. The shooting is being described as an ambush.
#ABPoli
- As wildfires continue to rage on, 300 troops are being deployed by the Canadian Armed Forces to help fight the flames. More than $2 million has been paid out to evacuees since a state of emergency was declared last week.
- Premier Smith was rushed offstage on Thursday after a news conference in Calgary was disrupted by protestors.
#BCPoli
- Harry Lali, a former British Columbia NDP transportation and highways minister, is joining the BC United Party. He claims that the NDP no longer champions rural British Columbia.
- As temperatures continue to rise above seasonal norms in British Columbia, the B.C. Centre for Disease Control stated that the province is in a much better place to deal with extreme heat compared with the summer of 2021, when 619 British Columbians died.
#ATLPoli
- New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs is being slammed by Mi’kmaw and Wolastoqey communities in the province after he made comments indicating that he would be prepared to go ahead with fracking without their approval.
- The number of Nova Scotians on a family physician waitlist hit a record high. There are currently more than 145,000 people on the Need a Family Practice Registry.
- Wildfires in Nova Scotia’s Digby County are being controlled, as 90 per cent remains contained. The fire started Monday and the RCMP evacuated surrounding residents.
- Prime Minister Trudeau visited Newfoundland and Labrador on Friday for a meeting of the Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee. The visit was the first Nunatsiavut visit from a sitting prime minister.
