Woo’s suggested Innovation new rule would policy mean leaders would eff ectively briefi ng own Senate Michael pp. 15-30 Harris committee seats Jane Cordy p. 14 HOH p.12 p.2 Hill Climbers p.37 THIRTY-SECOND YEAR, NO. 1774 CANADA’S POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT NEWSPAPER MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2020 $5.00 News News News Trudeau’s RCMP neck- precedent-setting ‘It’s going to be a long hold review move on test of ‘ongoing’ four confi dence ‘takes time’: tens of thousands of months after away’ from feds’ Lucki’s promise work responding federal public servants still to pandemic, say BY PETER MAZEREEUW politicos he RCMP has not yet com- working remotely eight Tpleted its review of the con- troversial carotid neck hold used BY PALAK MANGAT by its offi cers to subdue people, & BEATRICE PAEZ four months after Commissioner months into the pandemic Brenda Lucki pledged to reassess he decision to hold a confi - the use of a technique that can dence vote over the creation T sometimes render those on whom of a committee with powerful in- Treasury Board provided ‘evergreen guidance’ to deputy heads of it is used unconscious, and fi ve vestigative authority suggests the months after George Floyd was Trudeau Liberals may have been departments in the spring, which included consideration of a possible killed in police custody in Minne- trying to engineer their own de- apolis sparking international pro- feat, says one political strategist, resurgence in positive cases and the re-tightening of restrictions in tests, including in Canada, against provinces, territories, and cities. But most of Canada’s federal civil police brutality and racism. Continued on page 4 servants are working from home, and there’s no end in sight. Continued on page 31 Prime Minister News Justin Trudeau, News pictured Oct. 16, Feds inch closer 2020. As of March 2019, Government to Phoenix there were just under adds $79-billion replacement 288,000 employees in to expected as Heritage the federal public service, spending, Canada tapped most of whom continue to work remotely, pushing for exploratory given the resurgence annual total to phase of Next of COVID-19 Publications Mail Agreement #40068926 cases across $476-billion, Generation HR the country. The Hill Times and counting and pay system photograph by Andrew Meade BY PETER MAZEREEUW BY MIKE LAPOINTE BY MIKE LAPOINTE continue to work remotely, the gov- return to their physical worksites. he federal government says it he Department of Heritage & KATE MALLOY ernment is keeping a close eye on But as public health authori- needs to spend an additional has been selected for the fi rst T T the resurgence of COVID-19 cases ties continue to signal that physi- $79-billion to carry on with its exploratory phase of the Next s tens of thousands of federal as department-by-department Continued on page 36 Apublic servants across Canada plans are made for employees to Continued on page 32 Continued on page 7 2 MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2020 | THE HILL TIMES That’s absolutely ridiculous. If somebody Incidentally, Ms. Paul is running in Mon- said that, this is a serious matter. What they day’s byelection in Toronto Centre and tak- proposed here is extremely serious.” ing part in what is effectively a dry-run for “It’s irresponsible and it was about Elections Canada in how to hold elections paralyzing the government in the middle amid a pandemic. There are two Toronto- Heard on the Hill of a pandemic when we need to be there area byelections on Oct. 26. The seats were working for Canadians,” he said. The mo- both previously held by Liberal MPs: former tion pitched the creation of an “anti-corrup- fi nance minister Bill Morneau resigned his by Palak Mangat tion” committee made up of 15 members Toronto Centre seat amid the WE Charity that would have sought to revive efforts controversy, and Michael Levitt left his York to investigate the WE Charity controversy Centre post this summer to head up a non- and other confl ict-of-interest allegations profi t that fi ghts anti-Semitism. levelled against the Liberals. But it seems the Liberals do want to ‘Do you wanna double Digging by opposition parties into the trigger a federal election. NDP commenta- WE fi le is expected to continue at House tor Tom Parkin, linking to an article show- committees, as some hope to be able to ing a stern-faced Prime Minister Justin check that, please?’: call witnesses and compel the disclosure Trudeau, joked that “This is Trudeau’s of documents related to the embattled angry face after realizing if he wants an organization. election he’s gonna have to call it himself.” Those moments of Hill-watching levity His party colleague and former aide to high-stakes House followed another much-needed laugh when late NDP leader Jack Layton, NDP pun- House Clerk Charles Robert fl ipped the dit Kathleen Monk, said Canadian politics numbers on a House vote while announc- “can’t always be transactional,” after it was ing the results on an amendment to the revealed the NDP did not get any conces- shenanigans came with motion before the fi nal, dramatic vote. sions from the Liberals for the vote. Mr. Robert initially declared 181 yeas “This is exactly what #JackLayton and 143 nays, but House Speaker Anthony would have done. Heading into an [elec- much-needed moments Rota caught the error, smiled, and asked tion], when Canadians need help, when him to double check as laughter erupted in there is a need to pass wage & rent subsidy the House. Mr. Robert also chuckled about legislation, fi nd a path to childcare, & af- the mix-up as he then read out the correct fordable medicines, is more important than of levity, as MPs stave results. (The vote on the motion itself was hitting the stump. Jack & Tommy [Douglas] 146-180). would be proud,” she wrote. “Both Mr. Trudeau and Mr. O’Toole have been [in my honest opinion] childishly ir- off #elxn44 (for now) responsible in creating this artifi cial crisis during a pandemic,” wrote NDP House Leader Peter Julian, who said last week House clerk Charles that he could see the party supporting Robert, pictured in the motion, before it was deemed one of January 2018, had MPs confi dence. Conservative strategist Melissa roaring with laughter in Lantsman added: “The election dance has the Commons Chamber been postponed until the fall economic last week, after he statement. We hope to see you again, folks.” This Hour Has 22 Minutes accidentally misread House Speaker Anthony Rota, pictured on Oct. CBC’s ’ Mark the vote results on 21, 2020, smiles as MPs erupted into laughter Critch tried to sum up the drama in 280 char- an amendment to a after House clerk Charles Robert initially acters: “[NDP Leader] Jagmeet Singh saves Conservative motion that misread vote results on an amendment to a Canada from unnecessary election caused by Liberal over-confi dence and Conservative the Liberals deemed to Conservative motion. Screen capture via ParlVu be a confi dence matter. non-confi dence in their own non-confi dence Chuckling to himself of the Government.” Global News’ chief po- about the mix-up, he Former Liberal justice minister and now litical correspondent David Akin, a seasoned quickly corrected the Independent MP Jody Wilson-Raybould Hill journalist, wrote that the country’s 44th record after House said the choice the Liberals put forward election “will just have to wait.” Globe and Mail Speaker Anthony Rota was “shameful,” and explained she voted Longtime political writ- suggested he 'double against the Tory motion only because it was er Campbell Clark, like the CBC’s Aaron check' the fi gures. The deemed one of confi dence by her ex-party. Wherry, predicted that last week’s snap- Hill Times photograph by “The choice this [government] placed election fever under a minority Parliament Andrew Meade before us—a potential election during was just the beginning of more political a spiking pandemic or seeking to avoid manoeuvring. here were some laughs in the House political drama from strategists, politicos, transparency/accountability for ethical Tduring last week’s nail-biter confi dence and Hill reporters. wrongdoings demonstrates an utter lack of Continued on page 39 vote brought on by a Conservative motion “Liberals deny rumour that state of caf- leadership. Imagine risking the health of that could have sent voters to the polls eteria food will be treated as a confi dence [Canadians] to avoid taking responsibility. Shameful,” she tweeted. By deeming the CORRECTION: amid a global pandemic, which still might vote,” joked National Newswatch’s Twitter The Hill Times, Oct. 12, issue happen, by the way. account, after Government House Leader vote one of confi dence, MPs had to make a While it ultimately turned out to be all Pablo Rodriguez responded to a reporter decision on the “false choice between ethi- Re: “O’Toole’s OLO hires new regional for naught, with the NDP and Greens sid- last who asked if last week’s vote sets cal governance & an unwanted, untimely, advisers, speechwriter,” The Hill Times, p. ing with the Liberals in opposing setting the stage for the government deciding “to & dangerous election.” 23, Oct. 12, 2020. This story incorrectly stat- up an “anti-corruption” committee digging make a confi dence “matter out of anything Green Party Leader Annamie Paul, who ed that Mike Little lost his 2018 mayoral into the WE Charity controversy and other it doesn’t like. It doesn’t like the cafeteria urged MPs in the House to keep their “eye bid in North Vancouver, B.C.