YOUR DAILY SNAPSHOT OF WHAT’S HAPPENING IN PARLIAMENT TUESDAY NOVEMBER 27, 2012
Alpheus Daily Watch
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IN TODAY’S EDITION In the House Today
Today...In The House Government Orders Stay on top of bills to be debated, votes expected to take place, and other key activity in the House chamber. The House is scheduled to debate the First Nations Financial Transparency Act at third reading for its only allotted day. House Committee Watch Bill & Status Details (C-27) Need to know what’s happening at House committees? Don’t miss Alpheus’ Daily Committee Watch to stay informed of important Short Title: First Nations Financial Transparency Act deliberations and key witness appearances. The Library of Parliament’s legislative summary describes C-27 as providing a “legislative basis for the preparation and public disclosure of First Nations’ audited consolidated financial statements and of remuneration, including salaries and expenses, that a First Nation or any entity that it controls pays to its elected officials. The bill also requires the Senate Committee Watch publication of this information on a website maintained by or for the First Nation, and on the website of Aboriginal Need to know what’s happening at Senate Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC). Additional provisions of the legislation allow for the committees? Alpheus keeps you informed of key application of court remedies and administrative measures to enforce compliance with its requirements”. studies and proceedings with the Daily Committee Watch. Status: Introduced in November 2011, the bill was considered by the Aboriginal Affairs committee over seven meetings. The committee reported the bill back to the House with several amendments and the House concurred Items Of Interest In The the bill in at report stage on November 26, 2012. Days Ahead Debates, new legislation, committee hearings, & key Sponsor: Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development votes. Alpheus keeps you in the know on all upcoming parliamentary activity! Note: A time allocation motion was passed in the House on November 22, 2012 to limit debate to one further sitting day at each report stage and third reading stage. Committee Watch! Key meetings in the days ahead.
Private Members’ Business
Bill C-370, An Act to amend the Canada National Parks Act (St. Lawrence Islands National Park of Canada) sponsored by CPC MP Gordon Brown is expected to be called at third reading stage.
Bill & Status Details (C-370)
This bill seeks to change the name of the St. Lawrence Islands National Park of Canada to “Thousand Islands National Park of Canada”
Status: Introduced on November 30, 2011. The bill was considered by the Standing Committee on the Environment, was adopted with no amendment, and reported back to the House on October 4, 2012. The House concurred the bill in at report stage on November 21, 2012.
Sponsor: Gordon Brown (MP for Leeds-Grenville)
Alpheus has daily coverage of Question Period and developments in the House. We monitor Parliament so you don’t miss any key issues!
The Alpheus Daily Watch - November 27, 2012 Edition www.alpheus.ca *Business of the House and committee schedules and agendas are subject to change without prior notice. COMMITTEE WATCH HOUSE OF COMMONS
• Professors from the university of Ottawa and the university of British Columbia will appear before the Foreign Affairs committee and provide testimony on Canada's arctic foreign policy.
• As part of its study into sexual harassment in the federal workplace, the Status of Women committee has invited House of Commons clerk Audrey O'Brien and Chief Human Resources Officer Kathryn Butler Malette to testify along with Parliamentary Librarian Sonia L'Heureux. Officials from DND will also be reappearing.
• Helping to inform the Human Resources committee’s examination of economic opportunities for young apprentices will be representatives of the Aboriginal Human Resource Council, Canadian Electricity Association, Canadian Construction Association, and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
• Government Operations will question officials from the Privy Council and Public Works on supplementary estimates and will also review the 2011-12 departmental performance report from Public Works.
• A study into juvenile diabetes will begin at the Health committee with stakeholders such as Canadian Diabetes Association and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Canada among the first to appear.
• Minister for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, Denis Lebel will be making an appearance before the Industry committee to discuss supplementary estimates.
• Official Languages committee members are set to meet with representatives of the National Capital Commission, Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation, Société nationale de l'Acadie and Canadian Youth for French for continued deliberations on how to ensure the recognition and visibility of linguistic duality during Canada's 150th anniversary celebrations.
• Auditor General Michael Ferguson will be joined by transport department officials at the Public Accounts committee to discuss Chapter 5, of his Spring 2012 report on oversight of Civil Aviation-Transport Canada.
• Natural Resources will convene once again for hearings on innovation in the energy sector where representatives from the Building and Construction Trades Department and Écotech Québec are among those expected to appear.
• The subcommittee on International Human Rights will hear from the director of the Moral Courage Project on religious freedom in Indonesia.
• Canadian Heritage committee members are scheduled to hear from the Canada Media Fund on Canada's entertainment software industry for one hour and will then shift focus and question CEOs of the Canadian Paralympic Committee and Own the Podium on the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London.
• International Trade committee members are scheduled to meet with DFAIT officials to discuss a comprehensive economic and partnership agreement (CEPA) with India
• Facebook Inc. has been invited to appear as part of the study into privacy and social media that continues at the Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics committee.
• Testimony is expected from the Canadian Human Rights Commission, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal and REAL Women of Canada at the Justice and Human Rights committee on the bill sponsored by NDP MP Randall Harrison (C-279) seeking to add gender identity and expression to the Canadian Human Rights Act, before the committee begins clause by clause review.
• Minister of National Defence Peter MacKay is expected to field questions on the Supplementary Estimates at the National Defence committee along with senior department officials and chief of the Communications Security Establishment, John Forster.
Alpheus offers daily comprehensive committee coverage. Please contact us for information about our Committee Snapshots and monitoring services.
The Alpheus Daily Watch - November 27, 2012 Edition www.alpheus.ca *Business of the House and committee schedules and agendas are subject to change without prior notice. COMMITTEE WATCH SENATE
• Further review of the budget implementation bill (C-45) is expected at several Senate committees:
• Air Canada treasurer Pierre Houle will appear before Senators on the Transport and Communications committee on amendments to several pieces of legislation in C-45. • National Finance will hear from the Mining Association of Canada and the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada on proposed amendments to Foreign Affiliates Rule, and will then hear from the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance and the Certified Management Accountants on proposed amendments to the (SR & DE) investment tax credit. • Treasury Board officials will appear alongside officials from the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions at a second meeting of the National Finance committee to discuss provisions in C-45 on Public Sector Pensions. Changes to the Canada Revenue Agency Act will also be discussed with Treasury officials.
• ACOA executives are slated to appear before Fisheries and Oceans, as part of the Senators' examination of the lobster fishery in Atlantic Canada and Quebec.
Alpheus offers daily comprehensive committee coverage. Please contact us for information about our Committee Snapshots and monitoring services.
The Alpheus Daily Watch - November 27, 2012 Edition www.alpheus.ca *Business of the House and committee schedules and agendas are subject to change without prior notice. LOOKING AHEAD
ITEMS OF INTEREST IN THE DAYS AHEAD Stay informed about: • new legislation to be introduced • upcoming House business • expected votes in the coming days • a look-ahead at private members’ business
New Legislation
• The government has given notice that it will introduce a bill entitled “An Act to amend the Museums Act in order to establish the Canadian Museum of History and to make consequential amendments to other Acts”. Text of the legislation will not be available until introduction.
Debates in the days ahead (subject to change)
Thursday November 29, 2012 • the second budget implementation bill C-45, Jobs and Growth Act, 2012 is expected to be called for report stage debate.
Upcoming votes
Wednesday November 28, 2012 1. vote at second reading on Bill C-398, An Act to amend the Patent Act (drugs for international humanitarian purposes) and to refer it to to the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development for further review.
2. vote to concur in Bill C-383, An Act to amend the International Boundary Waters Treaty Act and the International River Improvements Act, at report stage.
3. vote at second reading on Bill S-209, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (prize fights) and to refer it to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights for further review.
4. vote at second reading on Bill C-399, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteers) and to refer it to the Standing Committee on Finance for further review.
Private Members’ Business; upcoming debates (subject to change)
Wednesday November 28, 2012 Bill C-428, Indian Act Amendment and Replacement Act (continued second reading debate) 5:30 - 6:30 pm Sponsor: Rob Clarke (MP for Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchil River)
Thursday November 29, 2012 M-381, motion on Asbestos (2nd hour of debate) 5:30 - 6:30 pm Sponsor: François Lapointe (MP for Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup)
Friday November 30, 2012 M-386, motion on First Nations (2nd hour of debate) 1:30 - 2:30 pm Sponsor: Bob Rae (MP for Toronto Centre)
The Alpheus Daily Watch - November 27, 2012 Edition www.alpheus.ca *Business of the House and committee schedules and agendas are subject to change without prior notice. COMMITTEE WATCH
Key meetings to watch this week!
Wednesday • Public Safety will continue to hear from witnesses on the Combatting THE ALPHEUS GROUP Terrorism Act (S-7). Groups expected to provide testimony at the next meeting include: Air India 182 Victims Families Association, Canadian Coalition Against Terror, Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the BC Civil Liberties Association. ON THE PULSE OF PARLIAMENT. Thursday • Members of the Procedure and House Affairs committee will hear from Speaker of the House Andrew Scheer and House of Commons clerk Audrey FULL COVERAGE OF DAILY O'Brien on the Supplementary Estimates and will then turn their attention to QUESTION PERIOD IN OUR testimony from former chief electoral officer Jean-Pierre Kingsley on the QP SNAPSHOTS AND Political Loans Accountability Act (C-21). COMPREHENSIVE COMMITTEE MONITORING & • Industry Minister Christian Paradis, Minister of State for ACOA Bernard SUMMARIES IN OUR Valcourt and Minister of State for Science and Technology and the Federal COMMITTEE SNAPSHOTS. Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, Gary Goodyear are all slated to appear before Industry committee members to review Supplementary Estimates under the various regional economic development agencies.
• Minister of Agriculture Gerry Ritz will be joined by officials from his For subscription & product department and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in an appearance before information, please contact us: the Agriculture committee to speak to the Supplementary Estimates (B).
• Transport Minister Denis Lebel and senior officials are expected before the [email protected] | www.alpheus.ca Transport committee to discuss Supplementary Estimates.
• Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore is slated to answer questions from Canadian Heritage committee members on the Supplementary Estimates.
• Also on Thursday, an appearance is scheduled for Minister of Justice Nicholson to appear at the Justice Committee on the Supplementary Estimates.
The Alpheus Daily Watch - November 27, 2012 Edition www.alpheus.ca *Business of the House and committee schedules and agendas are subject to change without prior notice.