Inside Politics

Orders of the Day - Let the omnibudget fila-voter-buster timeline be revealed!

by Kady O'Malley Posted: June 12, 2012 8:39 AM Last Updated: June 12, 2012 10:56 AM
Hill denizens will likely get some idea of the timeline for the imminent 24 hour midnight madness vote-a-thon when the Chamber re-opens for business this morning -- that is, provided that Government House Leader Peter Van Loan follows his usual practice of moving the promised - and duly notice-given -- time allocation motion at the start of the parliamentary work day, which will trigger a 30 minute debate, a 30 minute bell and, eventually, a vote.

The whole thing -- the whole time allocation motion thing, that is, not the omnibudget debate itself -- should wrap up by noon or so, which would leave the House with just enough time to finish up the relatively non-contentious financial literacy bill that is still, somewhat unaccountably, languishing on the Order Paper before heading into Question Period, with the omnibudget bill returning to the top of the Commons agenda this afternoon.

But for how long? To find out the answer to that question, we'll have to wait for the motion itself, but as soon as it drops, I'll update the official unofficial C-38 sked. 

UPDATE - As promised, here's the timeline, as proposed, in time allocation motion format, by the government house leader moments ago: 10 more hours for report stage debate, and 8 hours for third reading. 

 As previously noted, what with one thing and another, the House is unlikely to begin the 10 hour report stage stint until this afternoon -- either just before, or immediately following Question Period -- which would leave two hours left in the meter when the House convenes on Wednesday afternoon. 

Depending on whether the opposition tries to stave off government orders -- which would normally start at 3pm -- that would mean voting would begin at some point between 5pm and -- oh, let's say 7ish -- carry on through the night and wrap up approximately 24 hours later, likely early Thursday evening.

That is, unless unanticipated events ensue, which does tend to happen around here. I'll keep you posted. 

Meanwhile, later this morning, representatives of "lawyers and law professors from across Canada" will take the stage at the Charles Lynch Press Theatre, where they will release a letter that calls on the PM and the House of Commons to take "a more democratic approach for the consideration of C-38."

Elsewhere on the Hill, an ad hoc delegation of parliamentarians -- Liberal Senator Mac Harb and MPs Kirsty Duncan and Francis Scarpaleggia, New Democrat Robert Chisholm, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May and Independent Bruce Hyer -- show their support for the Experimental Lakes Area, a conservation initiative on the budget chopping block. 

Also running the media gauntlet today: Members of the Free Bashir Makhtal Working Group, including Amnesty International Secretary General Alex Neve and representatives from the local Somali community, call on the government to "do more" for Bashir Makhtal, who has endured "five years of human rights violations."

The Elizabeth Fry Society, meanwhile, will discuss its intervention in the Ryan case, and specifically, the need to allow battered women who use force against their abusers to save their lives and those of their children to avail themselves of a criminal defence.

On the committee front today:

The behind-closed-doors battle over the F-35 inquiry continues at the now seemingly permanently in camera Public Accounts, although as always, the nature of the discussions are protected by parliamentary privilege.

Over at Industry, members resume their investigation of the intellectual property regime in Canada, with Cardiff University digital economy professor Ian Hargreaves expected to appear by video. Other witnesses include Dalhousie University industry liaison Erica Fraser, as well as Bubble Technology Industries vice-president Lianne Ing and Carleton University professor Marc-Andre Gagnon.

Ethics is also set for a round of expert academic testimony this morning as the committee navigates its way through the virtual minefield of privacy and social media.

Later today, Citizenship and Immigration will hear from the Canadian Centre for International Justice and the Canadian Council for Refugees, who will share their views on the security of the immigration system.

Also this afternoon: A rare opposition victory at the planning table has resulted in a review of the state of human rights in Colombia at Foreign Affairs. On the witness list for today: MiningWatch Canada, the Escuela Nacional Sindical and the Association of Colombian Flower Exporters, as well as University of Ottawa senior fellow Carlo Dade.

Outside the precinct: 

  • Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore will give media a "sneak peek" of the War of 1812 exhibition at the Canadian War Museum. 

  • Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq will "make an investment in health care" at the May Court Hospice in Ottawa. 

  • Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver hits the Montreal Conference of the Americas, where he will attend a plenary session on "sustainable economic recovery," at which he will "outline Canada's potential for economic growth through increasing its energy production," including "drawing on unconventional energy sources." 

Finally, later this evening, Governor General David Johnston will present the Michener Awards for "meritorious public service in journalism," as well as the inaugural Michener-Deacon Fellowship for Journalism Education.

For up to the minute dispatches from the precinct and beyond, keep your eye on the Parliament Hill Ticker below -- or, alternatively, bookmark it and check back throughout the day. 

Mobile-friendly auto-updating text feed available here

Tags: blackberry jungle, orders of the day