Heard on the Hill Foreign Policy Michael Harris Politics Hill Climbers Susan Riley Sheila Copps p. 9 Senate news Energy p. 6 NDP rookie MP Matthew Rose LeMay p. 7 policy briefi ng pp. 19-27 Green making waves p. 4 Hill Times’ 30th shin dig p. 33 THIRTY-FIRST YEAR, NO. 1686 CANADA’S POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT NEWSPAPER MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2019 $5.00 Opinion Climate catastrophe was a problem with the climate. In fact, they have gone up 15 per So much for promises of ‘early and deep cent in the past 10 years. So much for the promises of “early and deep cuts” in emissions to avoid catastrophic heating. cuts’ to avoid castrophic climate change Governments have been making these promises since the ONDON, U.K.—What a sur- report by the United Nations is BY GWYNNE DYER emissions are still going up 30 early 1990s, and they are never Lprise! The annual emissions now out, and greenhouse gas years after we fi rst realized there Continued on page 10 News Prime minister News Foreign policy News Legislation New Foreign Affairs Minister Humbled François-Philippe Policy primer: Champagne and Trudeau new Deputy Prime Liberals Minister and changes Intergovernmental promise to Affaris Minister leadership style, Chrystia Freeland, address Impact pictured at but unclear if Rideau Hall on Assessment law Nov. 20, 2019. The Hill Times it’s an ‘actual photographs by outrage without conversion’ or Andrew Meade amendments just a ‘diff erent BY PETER MAZEREEUW role, for now’ overnment offi cials are pol- Gishing off “guidance” docu- ments that experts say could be BY ABBAS RANA used by new Environment Minis- ‘No such thing as too ter Jonathan Wilkinson to make fter dealing with numerous good on his promise to address Ahigh-profi le controversies in criticisms of his government’s his fi rst mandate, being reduced Impact Assessment Act without to a minority government in many cooks’: Freeland, changing the law. last month’s election, losing 27 Alberta’s energy minister, So- seats, and shedding 6.37 percent- nya Savage, is among those who age points in the national vote, have called for changes to the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Champagne to balance Impact Assessment Act, which transformation from a celebrity Alberta Premier Jason Kenney politician to a “humbled” leader is campaigned against while it was the right approach, say political being passed through Parliament in the spring. Publications Mail Agreement #40068926 insiders who say it remains to be Canada-U.S. relationship seen if the change in style and The Impact Assessment Act tone will be permanent. was made law through then- “We don’t know if this is an ‘Clear signals’ will have BY NEIL MOSS Affairs Minister François-Philippe environment minister Catherine actual conversion on the road Champagne will fi t into the fold. McKenna’s (Ottawa Centre, Ont.) to Damascus, or if this is just a to be given to the U.S. s the new NAFTA crawls Ms. Freeland (University-Rose- controversial Bill C-69. The act different role that he’s playing for over who has jurisdiction Atowards implementation, it dale, Ont.) and Mr. Champagne overhauled the environmental now,” said Greg Lyle, president is natural for new Deputy Prime (Saint-Maurice-Champlain, Que.) assessment process for big infra- of Innovative Research in an for what, says former Minister Chrystia Freeland to keep will both have a role to play in structure projects including pipe- interview with The Hill Times last her responsibility over the Canada- Canada’s most important relation- lines. Those assessments must week. deputy prime minister U.S. fi le, say former diplomats, but ship, with Canada’s new deputy now consider the impact projects it is unclear how incoming Foreign Continued on page 29 John Manley. Continued on page 28 Continued on page 30 2 MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2019 | THE HILL TIMES 1980 to 1984, serving in a number of cabinet roles in Pierre Elliott Trudeau’s government, including international trade minister and From The Hill minister of energy, mines, and resources. “Gerald Regan believed in the potential Heard on the Hill of Nova Scotia, with a vision for our future Times’ archives prosperity. He governed with a true sense of liberal values—investing in people, cre- Dec. 1, 1997 by Neil Moss ating economic development and ensuring fi scal responsibility,” Nova Scotia Premier MPs fear electronic voting will Stephen McNeil tweeted on Nov. 27. Green Party parliamentary leader ‘Americanize’ House By Mike Scandiffi o Elizabeth May added her tribute: “Very sad A Napoleonic honour: to learn of the passing of former premier Gerald Regan. Without his leadership, Nova Scotia would have been subjected to heavy aerial spraying with toxic chemicals Serge Joyal to get Légion in the 1970s.” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he contacted the House Speaker to express his sympathies. The Peace Tower fl ag was d’Honneur promotion lowered to half-mast on Nov. 29 in the elder Regan’s honour. In 1984, Mr. Regan lost his seat rep- Trudeau to mark 70 years resenting Halifax, N.S., in the House of Commons, and in the decade that followed of NATO he faced accusations of historic sexual assault. Amid American criticism of Canada’s In the 1990s, after a lengthy trial, the NATO spending, Prime Minister Justin former Nova Scotia premier was found In 1997, Liberal MP Carolyn Parrish said Trudeau will be in the United Kingdom this not guilty on eight charges. The charges electronic voting in the House of Commons week for the 70th anniversary of the trans- ranged from rape and attempted rape to would be an ‘American abomination.’ The Atlantic alliance. unlawful confi nement. By the time Mr. Hill Times fi le photograph Regan was in the courtroom, some of the allegations were more than four decades MPs are not going gently into the st old when three alleged survivors ranged 21 century, at least when it comes to from 14 to 24 years old. electronic voting. He was alleged to have committed sexu- There were fears made clear at a al assault against dozens of women dating feisty meeting last week of the Proce- back to the 1950s, according to CBC. dure and House Affairs Committee. Of the 18 original charges, nine were “I believe in the solemnity, tradition stayed by the trial judge. The stay was even- and ceremony,” declared Liberal MP tually overturned by the Supreme Court in a Carolyn Parrish (Mississauga Centre, 2002 decision. But Mr. Regan was not tried Ont.), who said she didn’t want an elec- on the nine stayed charges as the prosecu- tronic voting system that would be an tion didn’t move forward on indecent as- “American abomination” and she said Quebec Senator Serge Joyal, who retires from sault charges as they viewed it was unlikely she was worried that the electronic the Senate on Feb. 1, 2020, has been a he would serve time behind bars. voting will erode a sense of tradition in member of the Upper Chamber since 1997. the House and contribute to “an Ameri- The Hill Times fi le photograph Justin Trudeau is pictured with NATO Secretary canization” of the Commons Chamber. General Jens Stoltenberg in 2018. The Hill Gurski to give talk on Liberal MP Denis Coderre (Bouras- Times photograph by Andrew Meade sa, Que.) said if it comes down to a on-affi liated Senator Serge Joyal is be- terrorist threat in Canada choice between keeping the traditional ing promoted within France’s highest N NATO leaders will meet to discuss shared or “going the American way,” he’d order of merit. Former CSIS analyst Phil Gurski will priorities, and mark the defence and deter- rather go with tradition, adding that French President Emmanuel Macron be speaking at the University of Ottawa on rence achievements of the organization. he found the U.S. system “less account- promoted Sen. Joyal to commander of Dec. 3 on how worried Canadians should “For 70 years, NATO has been a corner- able” than the Canadian. the Légion d’Honneur, the third highest be of a terrorist threat. Over the years, the House has order of distinction in the class, the French stone of Canadian defence and security policy. I look forward to meet with NATO produced many studies on electronic Embassy in Canada announced in a press Phil Gurksi voting, but in the few months it has release on Nov. 28. leaders, and to reaffi rm Canada’s strong was a CSIS commitment to this Alliance,” Mr. Trudeau renewed its interest. Faced with a tight Other Canadians who are part of the analyst from majority the government is looking for order include World War II-era Canadian said in a statement. 2001 to Currently, Canada is commanding a ways to cut down on the time it takes journalist Gladys Arnold, former Supreme 2015. The to vote. Court chief justice Beverly McLachlin, past NATO training mission in Iraq, as well as a Hill Times fi le prime minister Brian Mulroney, and singer battlegroup in Latvia and a maritime fl eet photograph Céline Dion, among others. of nine ships. The idea of electronic voting also Sen. Joyal is the vice-chair of the Cana- According to Global News, a “blunt” let- was fl oated in the last Parliament after da-France Inter-Parliamentary Association. ter was sent to the Department of National then-government House leader Bardish He has been a Senator since 1997 and was Defence from the U.S. government criticiz- Chagger circulated a discussion paper a Liberal MP from 1974 to 1984. The former ing Canada’s defence spending, reiterating of suggested changes to the House secretary of state of Canada has been an its desire for Canada to meet NATO spend- Standing Orders, or House rules— ambassador to the Vimy Foundation and ing targets.