Hello,
The Speaker of the House of Commons has resigned after MPs across the political spectrum, including his own party, called for his exit for inviting a 98-year-old man who served with a Nazi unit to attend a speech made Friday by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Anthony Rota, a Liberal MP from the northern Ontario riding of Nipissing-Timiskaming apologized both in writing and in person for inviting Yaroslav Hunka to the chamber.
On Tuesday, Mr. Rota announced that he would leave his job after Liberal cabinet ministers, the Conservatives, the NDP and the Bloc Québécois called for him to step down.
Last Friday, Mr. Rota called Mr. Hunka “a Ukrainian hero and a Canadian hero,” and thanked his constituent for his service, promoting cheers and standing ovations from those present, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mr. Zelensky.
Mr. Rota, a 62-year-old former city councilor in North Bay was an MP in his riding from 2004 to 2011, and then re-elected in 2019. He has been Speaker since 2019 and was re-elected in 2021.
Full story here.
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TODAY'S HEADLINES
NDP Leader says he has seen secret intelligence indicating India was behind killing of Sikh leader - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said he was shown classified intelligence that points to the Indian government’s role in the gangland-style killing of a prominent Sikh leader from British Columbia. Story here.
Top general asked senior officer to make subordinate presenting allegations about him ‘go away’ - Lieutenant-General Steven Whelan asked a senior officer to make a subordinate who had accused him of inappropriate behaviour “go away” and make it his “mission to appease” her in e-mails presented before a military tribunal struck to determine whether the three-star general is guilty of breaking military law. Story here.
Alberta rejects requests for data on freedom of information system a second time - The Alberta government is doubling down on a decision to withhold basic data about records it has previously released under its freedom of information law – a move that could have far-reaching consequences for transparency and accountability within the province. Story here.
Developer says it’s planning to build 5,000 rental units across Canada because of Liberals’ GST break - A Toronto-based real estate company says it is planning to build 5,000 new rental units in urban centres across the country as a result of the federal government’s decision to eliminate GST charges on rental developments. Story here.
Federal minister criticizes Manitoba Tory ad that cites rejection of landfill search - Manitoba’s Progressive Conservatives came under fire Monday for taking out a newspaper ad that highlights, in part, the province’s decision to not search a landfill for the remains of two Indigenous women. Story here.
Poster advertising ‘whites-only’ children’s playtime sparks outrage in B.C. community - Police have launched an investigation into a poster inviting “proud parents of European children” to participate in racially segregated playtime in B.C.’s Lower Mainland. Story here from CTV.
Minister’s exclusive EV charging station frustrates other Fredericton drivers - Questions are being raised about a the positioning of a vehicle charging station outside the downtown Fredericton head office of N.B. Power, which is directly in front of the parking spot reserved for Environment Minister Gary Crossman. Story here from CBC.
THIS AND THAT
Today in the Commons - Projected Order of Business at the House of Commons, Sept. 26, accessible here.
Deputy Prime Minister’s Day - Chrystia Freeland held private meetings in Ottawa, attended the cabinet meeting, and later announced that the annual limit for Canada Mortgage Bonds is being increased from $40-billion to up to $60-billion. Also present at the announcement: Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, Housing Minister Sean Fraser, and Treasury Board President Anita Anand. In Toronto, in the evening, Ms. Freeland was scheduled to participate in a keynote conversation with Lisa LaFlamme at the 2023 Elevate Festival.
Speaker’s Garden Party Cancelled - Not only did Anthony Rota quit his post as Speaker of the House of Commons on Tuesday, but his planned Tuesday evening garden party for MPs and members of the Press Gallery was cancelled. Within moments of his resignation announcement, an advisory went out.
The Speaker, with his wife, was set to host a gathering at the Kingsmere farm house in Quebec across the Ottawa River from the nation’s capital that is one of the perks of being Speaker.
In addition to the farm house, the Speaker receives a $92,800 top-up on their MP’s salary. There’s an automobile, with driver, provided, and the Speaker is allowed to use up to 16 per cent of their office budget for hospitality expenses related to their parliamentary and protocol functions.
New ambassadors - Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly has named a pair of new ambassadors. Maryse Guilbeault is going to the Congo and Andrew Turner is the new ambassador to Armenia. There’s a CTV story here with context on the appointment of the Armenian ambassador.
Eby on bail - As he wrapped up a two-day visit to Ottawa, B.C. Premier David Eby said he was impatient about the passage of bail-reform legislation. “The history of this legislation is one that shows me that we can’t relax until it’s actually passed into law,” Eby said Tuesday. He was referring to Bill C-48 to strengthen bail laws. It is now in the Senate after receiving unanimous consent in the House of Commons. Story here. “It was my belief that given all-party support, given the level of priority of the issue of seriously violent offenders being released back into the community committing offences again, that this was front of mind for everybody to get that across the line in the last session,” the former B.C. attorney general said in an interview. “It didn’t happen so we’re taking no chances.”
Eby, who has been Premier since last November, was in the nation’s capital with several of his ministers this week to talk with their federal counterparts about varied issues, including housing, transit and bail reform. Eby said Niki Sharma, his Attorney-General, met with several senators to brief them on B.C.’s interest in the issue and why the legislation is a priority. “That dialogue is critical and really demonstrates we’re not taking anything for granted here,” said Eby. “I really hope the senators understand the urgency of this, and we’re doing all we can to help them understand it.”
Savage signs on with law firm - Former Alberta energy minister Sonya Savage, who served in cabinets under premiers Jason Kenney and Danielle Smith, has joined the Borden Ladner Gervais LLP law firm as a senior counsel. In announcing her appointment here this week, the company cited Savage’s experience in the energy sector, working in senior executive roles with the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association and Enbridge, before she was elected to the Alberta legislature in 2019. She served as energy minister, environment minister and justice minister before standing down ahead of the 2023 provincial election.
PRIME MINISTER'S DAY
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in Ottawa, chaired the cabinet meeting, then, later in Toronto, participated in a fireside chat with Flavio Volpe, the president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association at their annual conference.
LEADERS
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, in Ottawa, was scheduled to hold a news conference before attending Question Period.
Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre attended Question Period.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, in her Vancouver Island riding, is participating virtually in the Commons.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, in Ottawa, met with representatives of the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada, then held a news conference, and met with visiting British Columbia Premier David Eby. Later in the afternoon, Singh attended Question Period and met with Metro Vancouver mayors,
No schedule released for other party leaders.
THE DECIBEL
On Tuesday’s edition of The Globe and Mail podcast, the Globe’s Real Estate Reporter, Rachelle Younglai, offers a reality check on fixing Canada’s housing crisis in the aftermath of a recent report from Canada’s federal housing agency, CMHC, that says we need 3.45 million new homes built by 2030 in order to reduce skyrocketing housing costs. The Decibel is here.
OPINION
The Globe and Mail Editorial Board on Danielle Smith’s bad math and even worse politics: “Bonds of affection are sometimes severed, but more often they simply fray, eroded by misunderstandings that grow into petty disputes and, finally, into irreconcilable differences. That sad prospect, not dubious arithmetic, is the fundamental problem with the Alberta government’s proposal to walk away with the majority of the hundreds of billions of dollars in assets held by the Canada Pension Plan. There is scant public support for such a move in Alberta, with barely a fifth of voters backing the idea. More than half of those surveyed, 54 per cent, did not want to abandon the CPP. It’s just one opinion poll, but the numbers are heartening: Most Albertans believe in a common national good.”
John Ibbitson (The Globe and Mail) on how Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s unwillingness to apologize speaks to Canada’s diminishment on the world stage: “Also at press time, Mr. Trudeau had not issued an apology to Poland, to Ukraine, to Canadians, to Jews around the world. This is also surprising. Whatever the Speaker might or might not have done, Canada caused grave offence by having such a person present for Mr. Zelensky’s speech. In such matters, the prime minister speaks for the country, and must apologize on the country’s behalf. That neither the resignation nor the apology were forthcoming first thing Monday morning speaks to the unwillingness of people in public life today to accept responsibility for their actions. It speaks as well to the diminishment of Canada’s place in the world on Mr. Trudeau’s watch.”
Tony Keller (The Globe and Mail) on Ontario Premier Doug Ford being very, very sorry: “When U.S. president Dwight Eisenhower left the White House, he gave a speech in which he talked about the dangers of a “military-industrial complex.” In Ontario, the danger is of a government-developer complex. It starts with incidents such as the chief fundraiser for the Progressive Conservative Party selling tickets to a party at the Premier’s house, with some tickets purchased by developers and with the money going to the Premier’s family. Where does it end? We don’t know. Not yet. Sorry. Very, very sorry.”
André Picard (The Globe and Mail) on whether Canada is ready to deal with the next pandemic: “In this, the era of perpetual crises, Canada needs an institution to oversee the country’s health security. That is one of the key messages in a new report titled “The Next One: Preparing Canada for another health emergency,” released Tuesday. It was prepared by the Life Sciences Forum, a blue-ribbon panel of industry, government, researchers and civil society representatives sponsored by the Public Policy Forum.”
Siena Anstis (Contributed to The Globe and Mail) on how extraterritorial killings require a human-rights law response: “Going forward, the Canadian government also has a legal obligation to pro-actively warn activists in Canada when their right to life may be in danger. This obligation is enhanced where targets of violence are human rights defenders or prominent public figures. Further, where there is a specific threat, states are required to act urgently and effectively to protect those under threat, including adopting special measures like police protection or protective custody if consented to by the potential target. Canada is also required to anticipate and protect against other rights violations that come with transnational repression, such as extraterritorial surveillance and online harassment.”
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Ian Bailey