This House is Haunted
Your Look Ahead from Summa Strategies
- 7 minute read
The Latest
Top stories driving the news this week.
- Today, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is expected to announce that a Conservative government will eliminate the federal GST on sales of new homes sold for under $1 million.
- Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston called a snap election on Sunday. The election is scheduled for November 26, 2024.
- The federal government announced that it will be investing $13.7 million in 24 health research projects to aid in under-researched areas of women’s and gender diverse people’s health.
- Last Monday, the Government of Canada launched the Changing Narratives Fund to increase participation from diverse communities in cultural and media industries. The fund is investing $10 million over three years through this initiative.
- After the Liberal caucus meeting, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that the party is “strong and united.” This, despite the fact that, 24 MPs signed a letter attempting to oust him as leader. Trudeau has decided to stay on as prime minister beyond the October 28th deadline provided by Liberal dissidents.
- The Bloc Québécois said it will stop the stalemate in the House if the Liberals meet their demands. Bloc leader Yves-Francois Blanchet reminded the Liberals of the October 29th deadline to pass OAS and the supply management legislation. He stated his party would bring the government down if demands were not met.
- Last Wednesday, the Bank of Canada cut its interest rate by 50 basis points. The rate currently sits at 3.75%.
- Canada’s Auditor General Karen Hogan indicated that she will be probing all government contracts awarded to GC Strategies, the company behind the ArriveCan app.
- The federal government announced that Canada will be cutting federal immigration levels by at least 20 per cent from its initial target of 500,000. This decision was informed by housing and affordability concerns that many Canadians are confronted with.
- Former B.C. Premier Christy Clark and Chair of Liberal Leader’s Economic task force Mark Carney have both expressed interest in potentially replacing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as his potential successor.
In the House
Key Green Chamber business set to play out.
- When the House returns to debating legislation, the government’s priorities are Bill C-63, Bill C-71, Bill -C-66, as well as the ways and means of motion related to capital gains.
- Bill C-63, An Act to enact the Online Harms Act, currently sits at second reading in the House.
- Bill C-71, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2024), currently sits at second reading in the House..
- Bill C-66, An Act to amend the National Defence Act and other Act, currently sits at second reading in the House.
Committee Updates
- PACP will be meeting today to discuss the Sustainable Development Technology Canada report.
- INDU will be meeting today to discuss credit card practices and regulations in Canada.
- CITT will be meeting today to discuss protecting certain Canadian manufacturing sectors, including electric vehicles, aluminium and steel, against related Chinese imports and measures.
- NDDN will be meeting tomorrow to discuss space defence.
- INAN will be meeting today to discuss the priorities of the Ministers of Indigenous Services Canada, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada for the return of Parliament and their mandate. Ministers Anandasangaree, Hadju, and Vandal will be appearing.
- ENVI will be meeting today to discuss environment and climate impacts related to the Canadian financial system
- FEWO will be meeting today to discuss gender-based violence and femicides against women, girls and gender diverse people
- JUST will be meeting today to discuss Islamophobia and measures to address the fears of Canada’s Muslim community
- CACN will be meeting today to discuss Canada–People’s Republic of China relations.
- FAAE will be meeting tomorrow to discuss Canada’s advancement of a two-state solution
- FINA will be meeting tomorrow to discuss the report of the Bank of Canada on monetary policy.
- SRSR will be meeting tomorrow to discuss the new capstone research funding organisation announced in Budget 2024.
- DEDC will be meeting tomorrow to discuss the review of the exercise of powers and the performance of duties and functions pursuant to the declaration of emergency that was in effect from Monday, February 14, 2022, to Wednesday, February 23, 2022.
In the Senate
Stay informed on events in the Upper Chamber.
- Bill C-20, An Act establishing the Public Complaints and Review Commission and amending certain Acts and statutory instruments sits at third reading in the Senate.
- Bill C-26, An Act respecting cyber security, amending the Telecommunications Act and making consequential amendments to other Acts, is currently at committee stage in the Senate.
Committee Updates
- SECD will be meeting tomorrow to discuss Bill C-26, An Act respecting cyber security, amending the Telecommunications Act and making consequential amendments to other Acts.
- AGFO will be meeting tomorrow and Thursday to examine and report on the growing issue of wildfires in Canada and the consequential effects that wildfires have on forestry and agriculture industries, as well as rural and Indigenous communities, throughout the country.
- BANC will be meeting on Wednesday to study matters relating to banking and commerce generally and examine and report on Canada’s monetary policy framework.
- ENEV will be meeting tomorrow to discuss the Strategic Innovation Fund’s Net Zero Accelerator Initiative.
- APPA will be meeting on Wednesday to examine the federal government’s constitutional, treaty, political and legal responsibilities to First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples and any other subject concerning Indigenous Peoples.
- APPA will be meeting on Wednesday to examine the constitutional, treaty, political and legal responsibilities to First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.
- AEFA will be meeting on Wednesday to discuss Bill C-282, An Act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act (supply management)
In Case You Missed It
Your crib notes for last week’s top stories.
- Federal Minister of National Revenue Marie-Claire Bibeau announced she will not be running for re-election due to her bid to become mayor of Sherbrooke, Q.C. She will still complete her term as an MP.
- CRTC has set new interim wholesale rates in an effort to allow for more choice of internet services.
- At the House of Commons heritage committee, CBC president Catherine Tait defended the executive bonus pay structure and did not rule out accepting a personal bonus. CBC cut jobs and vacancies while paying out over 18 million in bonuses this year. Tait will be replaced by Marie-Phillipe Bouchard in 2025.
- Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he is willing to withhold federal funds from provinces who do not reform their disability assistance programs so disabled Canadians can benefit from both working income and provincial benefits.
- Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced that his government plans to effectively ban international students from Ontario medical schools. The government plans to table legislation which indicates that medical schools need to give 95 per cent of their seats to students from within the province.
Provincial Updates
A look at the top news across the country.
What We’re Watching
Find out what issues Summa consultants are tracking and why they matter.
All Eyes on Provincial Elections – Last week’s provincial election in New Brunswick saw the Progressive Conservatives go down to defeat as Liberal leader Susan Holt led her party to a decisive, majority win.
Holt’s campaign focused primarily on new ideas around economic growth, healthcare, and inclusivity while rejecting Premier Higgs’ policies on language rights and education reform. The New Brunswick Liberals also made a concerted effort leading up to, and during the election period, to distance their party from unpopular federal policies like the carbon tax.
This demonstrates that voter fatigue with the incumbent Progressive Conservative government may have played a bigger role in the electoral outcome in New Brunswick than the strength of the Liberal brand.
Expect federal political parties to be watching closely for broader national trends that can be applied to their own playbooks. With recent provincial elections having already taken place in British Columbia and New Brunswick, a snap election called yesterday in Nova Scotia, and voters heading to the polls today in Saskatchewan, there will be no shortage of data to draw conclusions from.
Immigration Altercation – During a press conference last week to announce significant cuts to Canada’s immigration targets, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau admitted that the federal government “didn’t get the balance quite right,” on addressing labour needs and maintaining population growth following the COVID-19 pandemic.
To course correct, the Trudeau government will reduce the number of permanent residents in 2025 by 21 per cent. In response, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called the decision a “flip-flop.”
The timing of the change in policy stance isn’t a coincidence. A recent poll by Abacus Data found that one-in-two Canadians view immigration negatively, signalling a significant shift after decades of broad-based acceptance of the contributions of newcomers.
While once considered a sleeper issue, the conversation around immigration looks like it will become more prominent during the next federal election and it will be up to the Liberals to defend their record.
Prorogation lite?– The House of Commons hasn’t debated legislation for almost a month because of an impasse over a question of privilege.
The deadlock in the House means no progress can be made on government bills or Private Members’ Business. Bills, including the Fall Economic Statement, can still be introduced and Routine Proceedings, Member Statements, and Question Period continue as normal.
It’s not an enviable position for the Trudeau government, who continue their downward slide in public opinion polls. Not only does the impasse pose a problem for getting legislation passed, it has prevented the Liberals from putting forward a cohesive narrative on their priorities for the fall session.
While the Conservatives also can’t make progress on debating Private Members Bills, they have seemingly made the calculation that stalling the Trudeau government’s legislative agenda is worth the trade-off.
For now, the NDP and Bloc have stood on the sidelines, biding their time. Unless the Liberals are willing to come to the table with a serious trade, the Conservatives aren’t expected to blink anytime soon.
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