Orders of the Day - Friday, Dec. 4, 2009

After considerable initial confusion over -- and ensuing coverage of -- what, exactly, was going on in the House yesterday with all that HST-related business, OotD can now state, with some certainty and just a trace of I-told- you-so, that reports of its passage were somewhat exaggerated, or at least premature.

Although the ways and means motion granting approval in principle for the deal did sail through with all-but-one-party support, albeit slightly behind schedule due to the NDP's first wave of delaying tactics, the bill itself has not yet been introduced, and won't be until after the government passes a motion to limit debate on the as-yet-untabled legislation to a single sitting of the House. That should happen sometime this morning -- that is, unless the Conservatives have decided to push the whole thing off until next week, which may turn out to be the case -- although it's not yet certain when the final vote on the HST bill will actually take place, although according to Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff when it does, we'll all get to see just how very, very, very united his caucus is on the issue. Doth the gentleman protest too much? We'll find out next week. Oh, and just a quick note to the government and official opposition whips: no more funny business with the bells, okay? It's hard enough to keep track of votes without having to worry that you'll cut them off in mid-peal.

Outside the Chamber, not much is going on -- it is Friday, after all -- with no committees slated to meet, with the exception of Human Resources, which has been roadtripping its way across the country to hear what Canadians think about poverty reduction -- we're betting they're in favour -- and, more specifically, the federal contribution thereto. The prime minister is still abroad -- and sending video postcards from the edge -- while Ignatieff tours a TV studio in Montreal, and Jack Layton talks pensions in Winnipeg. Alson in Montreal: Environment Minister Jim Prentice, who will discuss "climate change policies" -- perhaps even those of his government! -- in a luncheon address to the Conseil Patronal de l'Environnement du Quebec.