The Senate Committee on Human Rights recently launched a comprehensive study into the human rights of prisoners in the federal correctional system. The committee will examine the situation of vulnerable or disadvantaged groups, including Indigenous people, visible minorities, women and those with mental health issues. Black and Indigenous people, for example, are overrepresented in the … Read more
In its report, Free Trade Agreements: A Tool for Economic Prosperity, the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade makes nine recommendations to increase public involvement and parliamentary oversight of these agreements and to establish standards by which the success of an agreement would be measured. The committee notes that free trade agreements benefit some and … Read more
The Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce have welcomed news that the federal government is close to reaching an agreement on internal barriers to trade after its report, Tear Down These Walls: Dismantling Canada’s Internal Trade Barriers, made recommendations to address this multi-billion dollar problem. Experts believe eliminating internal barriers could add between $50 billion and $130 … Read more
The Senate Committee on Official Languages chair Senator Claudette Tardif and deputy chair Senator Rose-May Poirier wrote to Public Services and Procurement Minister Judy Foote (Bonavista-Burin-Trinity, Nfld.), asking her to postpone the January 23, 2017 implementation of a new system “until further notice.” That’s the deadline for the government’s Request for Standing Offers – the next … Read more
New Brunswick Senator John Wallace announced his intention to resign from the Senate of Canada. Wallace stated “As January 26, 2017 will mark the completion of my eighth year of service as a Member of the Senate of Canada, I have advised the Governor General of my intention to resign from the Senate, effective February 1, 2017.” Call 613-947-4240. The … Read more
The National Energy Board should be modernized and given a broader mandate to consider environmental and Indigenous concerns when hearing pipeline proposals. Modernizing the energy board is among the recommendations the Senate Committee on Transport and Communications has made in its interim report called Pipelines for Oil: Protecting our economy, respecting our environment. The committee is specifically recommending … Read more
The Senate Committee on Human Rights issued a report on the federal government’s refugee resettlement program. The report, Finding Refuge in Canada: A Syrian resettlement story, makes recommendations that the government should take to give Syrian refugees the greatest chance for success in Canada. The committee believes language training is essential and that these courses should be … Read more
In its report titled Copyright Board: A rationale for urgent review, the Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce is calling for a thorough, in-depth examination of the Copyright Board’s mandate, practices and resources to be conducted next year. Senators say it’s time to get to the bottom of the board’s long delays in setting tariffs. These … Read more
The Senate has made its new disclosure model available to Canadians online. The new disclosure model provides more detail and uniformity in the quarterly disclosure of senators’ expenses. The new disclosure model provides far more information, including the following: Details of the travel expenses of individual senators and Senate House Officers (Speaker and leaders), including the purpose of … Read more
The Senate Committee on National Security and Defence released its report, UN Deployment: Prioritizing commitments at home and abroad, after examining the government’s plan to re-engage in UN peace operations. The committee said Parliament must be consulted before the government deploys military forces. In a parliamentary democracy, the government has an obligation to inform its citizens about … Read more
