Most recent entries for March 2013
With just days to go before yet another calendar-mandated constituency break sends MPs back to their respective ridings for a little one-on-one (or, alternately, one-on-many) time with the electorate before the budget drop, the government is continuing to work its way down the legislative to-do list.
On the Commons agenda today: the first round of report stage debate on the 'Northern Jobs and Growth Act', which would set up a new system for project planning and assessment in Nunavut, as well as create a new 'surface rights' board to handle land and water-related disputes with First Nations that hold land claims in the region.
Should that discussion wrap up midway through the day, the House will return to those proposed technical tax amendments that have been mired at second reading since the post-Christmas return.
Before that gets underway, however, the House will be tasked with considering Conservative MP Cheryl Gallant's proposal to limit fees for professional services related to the determination of eligibility for disability-tax credits, which will go to a vote on Wednesday.
Outside the Chamber, Justice Minister Rob Nicholson presents his pitch to tighten up the rules on those deemed not criminally responsible to committee, which will also hear from senior departmental officials, as well as other witnesses still to be determined.
Over at Ethics, MPs continue their statutory review of the Conflict of Interest Act with testimony from the Government Relations Institute of Canada and Lobbying Commissioner Karen Shepherd.
Also on the afternoon committee schedule: Canadian Heritage carries on with its inquiry into the state of amateur coaching across the country; International Trade weighs the pros and cons of Canada-India free trade; and National Defence devotes another session to the fine print of the military justice bill.
Finally, Canadian Citizenship Challenge winners and 'Student Citizens of the Year' Carly Firth and Jason Losier take a guided tour of Parliament Hill and meet with MPs.
On the Commons agenda today: the first round of report stage debate on the 'Northern Jobs and Growth Act', which would set up a new system for project planning and assessment in Nunavut, as well as create a new 'surface rights' board to handle land and water-related disputes with First Nations that hold land claims in the region.
Should that discussion wrap up midway through the day, the House will return to those proposed technical tax amendments that have been mired at second reading since the post-Christmas return.
Before that gets underway, however, the House will be tasked with considering Conservative MP Cheryl Gallant's proposal to limit fees for professional services related to the determination of eligibility for disability-tax credits, which will go to a vote on Wednesday.
Outside the Chamber, Justice Minister Rob Nicholson presents his pitch to tighten up the rules on those deemed not criminally responsible to committee, which will also hear from senior departmental officials, as well as other witnesses still to be determined.
Over at Ethics, MPs continue their statutory review of the Conflict of Interest Act with testimony from the Government Relations Institute of Canada and Lobbying Commissioner Karen Shepherd.
Also on the afternoon committee schedule: Canadian Heritage carries on with its inquiry into the state of amateur coaching across the country; International Trade weighs the pros and cons of Canada-India free trade; and National Defence devotes another session to the fine print of the military justice bill.
Finally, Canadian Citizenship Challenge winners and 'Student Citizens of the Year' Carly Firth and Jason Losier take a guided tour of Parliament Hill and meet with MPs.
Hit the jump for the full post.
If anyone out there was under the impression that Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition might be ready to drop the still-meaty bone that is the latest existential crisis underway in the Upper House, the trio of motions on notice for tomorrow's supply day will put paid to that theory:
Hit the jump for the full post.
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Treasury Board President Tony Clement will take part in what was initially billed as 'the first ever Google Hangout held by a Canadian federal politician,' but since been amended to the first such event by the Government of Canada, during which he'll take part in an 'expert discussion' on open data.
On the virtual guest list: David Eaves, Big Viking Games CEO Albert Lai, Socrata founder Kevin Merritt, Open Data Ottawa founder Edward Ocampo-Gooding, XMG Studio chair Ray Sharma and Stephen Walker, senior director of the chief information officer branch at Treasury Secretariat.
The virtual chat kicks off at 11am -- tune in via Google+!
Hit the jump for the full post.
On the virtual guest list: David Eaves, Big Viking Games CEO Albert Lai, Socrata founder Kevin Merritt, Open Data Ottawa founder Edward Ocampo-Gooding, XMG Studio chair Ray Sharma and Stephen Walker, senior director of the chief information officer branch at Treasury Secretariat.
The virtual chat kicks off at 11am -- tune in via Google+!
Hit the jump for the full post.
