What We’re Watching
- The House of Commons returns today, following a week’s break after Thanksgiving.
- Canada has begun evacuating citizens and permanent residents following violence in Gaza and Israel, with support from the Canadian Armed Forces. Minister Joly visited Israel while on a pre-planned trip to Greece and Jordan this week. It is anticipated this emerging international conflict will occupy discussion and debate in the House this week.
In the House
- Bill C-27, the Digital Charter Implementation Act, is being considered at INDU committee, with officials and the Privacy Commissioner appearing as witnesses.
- Bill C-33, the Strengthening the Port System and Railway Safety in Canada Act, is being considered at committee.
- Bill C-49, the Act to amend the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Resources Accord Implementation Act, awaits second reading.
- Bill C-56, the Affordable Housing and Groceries Act, awaits second reading.
- Bill C-244, the Act to amend the Copyright Act, awaits third reading (anticipated for Wednesday).
- Bill C-252, the Child Health Protection Act, is currently at third reading.
Committee Updates
- HUMA will meet on Monday to discuss the Canada Summer Jobs Wage Subsidy Program. Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Youth, the Honourable Marci Ien will be in attendance.
- SRSR will meet on Monday to discuss the Support for the Commercialization of Intellectual Property.
- FEWO will meet on Monday to discuss the Human Trafficking of Women, Girls and Gender Diverse People.
- ENVI will be briefed by the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development on Tuesday.
- OGGO will meet Tuesday to discuss the replacement of the CP-140 Aurora by the Boeing P-8 Poseidon.
- INDU will meet Tuesday and Thursday to discuss Bill C-27, the Digital Charter Implementation Act, 2022.
- AGRI will meet Thursday to discuss the Environmental Contribution of Agriculture.
In the Senate
- Bill C-241, the Act to amend the Income Tax Act (deduction of travel expenses for tradespersons), is being considered at committee.
- Bill S-254, the Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (warning label on alcoholic beverages), is being considered at committee.
ICYMI
- The NDP held its policy convention in Hamilton over the weekend. The big news emerging from the convention, is that members support nixing the current supply and confidence agreement if leader Jagmeet Singh and his caucus colleagues deem the Liberals’ pharmacare commitment to be insufficient.
- On Friday, the Supreme Court ruled that the Impact Assessment Act is largely unconstitutional. The Act would have allowed federal regulators to consider the potential environmental and social impacts of various resource and infrastructure projects. The IAA has long been controversial among conservative politicians in Alberta.
- Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland attended meetings of G7 and G20 Finance Ministers and the Annual Meetings of the IMF and World Bank, in Marrakech, Morocco. The meetings focused on advancing a clean economy, securing Canada’s essential supply chains with world partners, and ensuring global inflation can continue to fall and prices can stabilize.
Provincial Updates
#ONPoli
- The RCMP have launched a criminal probe into Premier Doug Ford’s Greenbelt land swap, in yet another setback for the Ford government since issues surrounding the Greenbelt came to light this summer. Meanwhile, the province is set to introduce legislation Tuesday that will return 15 sites to the Greenbelt while also codifying the boundaries so that any future changes would require legislation in order to do so.
- The Ford government committed $5M to school nutrition programs. Critics have suggested this amount is inadequate (in part because of the rise in food costs), and have in turn asked for a national strategy to address this growing concern.
- Mayor of Mississauga and prospective Ontario Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie stated she was disheartened by Mississauga’s rejection of fourplexes, urging the city to embrace gentle density housing.
#ABPoli
- Premier Danielle Smith welcomed Friday’s supreme court decision, which declared the federal government’s Impact Assessment Act unconstitutional. The ruling is likely to embolden the UCP government to pursue and proceed with planned energy projects that may have faced an uphill battle in getting approved by Ottawa.
- Concerns over impartiality have arisen following the launch of an investigation into a daycare E.Coli outbreak in Alberta. The investigation will be led by a former conservative political candidate, which in turn has sparked calls for a public inquiry led by an unbiased party.
- Alberta’s auditor general continues to investigate the UCP’s DynaLIFE lab services privatization attempt amid service complaints.
- The Alberta government launched telephone town halls to explore withdrawals from the Canada Pension Plan, as the NDP calls for face-to-face dialogues.
#BCPoli
- B.C. broke ground as the first province to seal a $1.2 billion health deal with the Federal Government.
- The B.C legislature resumed this week with tense debate following B.C. Conservative leader John Rustad’s comments regarding sexual orientation and gender identity resources.
#ATLPoli
- The Conservative party has seized on Liberal MP Ken McDonald’s vote to repeal carbon prices as he criticizes his own party’s policy in Atlantic Canada.
- Nova Scotia has strengthened the legal framework to support an opioid class action lawsuit, aligning with other provinces.
- Joan Marie Aylward was appointed as Newfoundland and Labrador’s next lieutenant-governor.
- Tony Wakeham has won the PC leadership in Newfoundland, setting the stage for the next election.
