Â鶹´«Ã½

Politics

    • Trudeau, Poilievre reject NDP proposal to empower MPs to put limits on prime ministers' powers

    Share

    Liberal and Conservative MPs have defeated an NDP attempt to change the rules that govern the House of Commons in a series of ways that sought to instill democratic controls on the prime minister's powers.

    It's a move the motion's sponsor, NDP MP Daniel Blaikie, says will maintain the potential for future Canadian leaders to "abuse" their power and "put the House of Commons under their thumb."

    On Wednesday afternoon, Blaikie's proposal to change the rules known as "Standing Orders" to clarify what can be declared a confidence vote, and empower MPs to have authority as to whether the government of the day has the confidence of the House,

    While the Bloc Quebecois and Green caucuses sided with the New Democrats, both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and their caucuses

    Had it passed, it would have made it harder for prime ministers to misuse prorogation and dissolution as political tools to reset or swerve accountability. 

    Prorogation is a procedural move prime ministers of different political stripes have used numerous times over the years, for a range of reasons.

    The last instance happened in August 2020, when Trudeau prorogued Parliament amid heat over the WE Charity controversy. At the time, the prime minister attributed the decision to a desire for a COVID-19 pandemic reset of the Liberal agenda.

    "The point of the motion was to say, you can't pull the cord on the House of Commons and then come back like nothing happened. You can either test confidence before you have a prorogation. Or you know that when you come back, that's the first item of business," Blaikie told reporters on Thursday morning.

    The NDP MP said Poilievre standing with Trudeau in rejecting of his proposal to "maintain his gatekeeping power of Parliament" was particularly "odd and quite frustrating."

    "I think that says a lot about who Pierre Poilievre is, and the sincerity with which he's talking about busting up gatekeeping powers… he's interested in in becoming Canada's foremost gatekeeper," Blaikie said. "That's an important difference for Canadians to keep in mind."

    With it appearing that minority governments are becoming more of a norm than majority governments—Canada is on its fifth minority of the 21st Century—Blaikie said he thinks MPs should have taken the opportunity to clarify what the rules of engagement are.

    Asked what indications he received from his Liberal and Conservative colleagues since his proposal was presented to the House in May around why they weren't going to be backing it, Blaikie said their desire for more study before making sweeping changes to the way the House works was a recurring theme.

    "I think it's a bad message to send to future prime ministers that Liberals and Conservatives support the idea that prime ministers can continue to use this power with impunity to protect their political interests over the interests of the country," Blaikie said. 

    IN DEPTH

    Opinion

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster

    A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

    When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    Two and a half years after losing her best friend and first love to suicide, Brooke Ford shared her story of grief and resilience at the CMHA Windsor-Essex Suicide Awareness Walk.

    An Ottawa driver has been charged with stunt driving after being caught going 154 km/h on Highway 417, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

    opinion

    opinion How to make the most out of your TFSA

    The Tax-Free Savings Account can be a powerful savings tool and investment vehicle. Financial contributor Christopher Liew explains how they work and how to take full advantage of them so you can reach your financial goals faster.

    Canada

    • A commemorative rally marking the fourth anniversary of Joyce Echaquan’s death will take place in Ville-Marie on Saturday afternoon.

    • Alberta's premier spoke to calls for an outside, independent investigation into the death of Jon Wells during an incident involving Calgary police last week.

    • The union representing longshore workers at the Port of Montreal says work at two terminals could come to a standstill next week as the union served a 72-hour strike notice today.

    • A child was sent to hospital after being attacked by a coyote in northwest Calgary.

    • Two and a half years after losing her best friend and first love to suicide, Brooke Ford shared her story of grief and resilience at the CMHA Windsor-Essex Suicide Awareness Walk.

    • Toronto police are urging anyone with information, including video footage, to contact them after a man was fatally stabbed in north Scarborough on Saturday evening.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    Sports

    • When the key to a win is work ethic, it is not surprising to see Mattias Ekholm rise to the occasion. Ekholm had a goal and two assists as the Edmonton Oilers snapped a three-game skid with a 5-4 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Saturday.

    • The Toronto Raptors have confirmed that Vince Carter's No. 15 will be the first number to be retired by the NBA franchise.

    Autos

    • A tale about a taxicab hauling gold and sinking through the ice on Larder Lake, Ont., in December 1937 has captivated a man from that town for decades.

    • A U.S. driver somehow squeezed her vehicle through a parkade hallway at a Metro Vancouver casino Thursday, before getting stuck at an elevator bank.

    Local Spotlight

    A tale about a taxicab hauling gold and sinking through the ice on Larder Lake, Ont., in December 1937 has captivated a man from that town for decades.

    When a group of B.C. filmmakers set out on a small fishing boat near Powell River last week, they hoped to capture some video for a documentary on humpback whales. What happened next blew their minds.

    A pizza chain in Edmonton claims to have the world's largest deliverable pizza.

    Sarah McLachlan is returning to her hometown of Halifax in November.

    Wayne MacKay is still playing basketball twice at Mount Allison University at 87 years old.

    A man from a small rural Alberta town is making music that makes people laugh.

    An Indigenous artist has a buyer-beware warning ahead of Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

    Police are looking to the public for help after thieves broke into a Lethbridge ice creamery, stealing from the store.

    An ordinary day on the job delivering mail in East Elmwood quickly turned dramatic for Canada Post letter carrier Jared Plourde. A woman on his route was calling out in distress.

    • British Columbia saw a rare unanimous vote in its legislature in October 2019, when members passed a law adopting the United Nations Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, setting out standards including free, prior and informed consent for actions affecting them.

    • Vancouver's Bloedel Conservatory will be closing for more than two months for repairs, the park board announced last week.

    • A large crowd of people hoping to collect a piece of Toronto history gathered outside the ;Leslieville dollhouse' Sunday, as the new owners of the beloved east-end home gave away the dolls, toys, knick-knacks, and teddy bears that covered the property.

    • A grassroots organization is calling on the provincial government to reopen the Ontario Science Centre after it was abruptly closed in June following the discovery of structural issues in the building.

    • One person was injured in a stabbing at Moss Park early Sunday morning, Toronto police say.

    • A child was sent to hospital after being attacked by a coyote in northwest Calgary.

    • Alberta's premier spoke to calls for an outside, independent investigation into the death of Jon Wells during an incident involving Calgary police last week.

    • A 23-year-old man sustained serious, but non-life-threatening injuries following a dispute with another man Saturday night at a bar in Gatineau, Que., police say.

    • A near perfect replica of Lighting McQueen came to Hardy Park in Brockville, Ont. for a meet and greet.

    • The 47th annual Canadian Police and Peace Officers' Memorial Service is taking place Sunday in the capital.

    • Provincial police (SQ) say a head-on crash on Highway 30 in Candiac has left two people dead.

    • A new Crave original series inspired by Leonard Cohen's iconic song "So Long, Marianne" delves into the complex love story between the renowned songwriter and his muse, Marianne Ihlen.

    • Some small Quebec municipalities are considering reducing the size of their city councils due to the challenges of recruiting candidates to run for office.

    • Thousands of kilometres of rural roads and highways in Alberta are nearing the end of their useful lives, and new research says the province is quickly running out of time to make the repairs needed to preserve them.

    • Kim Ruether lifted her son's eyelid and saw his still, dilated pupil staring at the ceiling as he lay on a stretcher in a northwestern Alberta hospital hallway a decade ago. She says she didn't need a doctor to tell her the boy was dead.

    • The East Coast Ukrainian Festival kicked off at Pier 21 in Halifax on Saturday, celebrating Ukrainian culture and traditions.

    • Team U.S.A. is the winner of the Pan American Black Bass Championship, which attracted some of the world’s best anglers to Nackawic and Fredericton this past week.

    • As the temperatures begin to drop and the leaves change colour, the time for fall suppers has returned in Manitoba.

    • Hundreds gathered in Winnipeg’s Memorial Park Saturday afternoon in a solemn ceremony honouring the lives of fallen firefighters.

    • Vintage collectors from all corners of Canada gathered at Assiniboia Downs Saturday to shop and show off a variety of trinkets and treasures.

    • The Town of Lumsden held their ninth annual Scarecrow festival Saturday.

    • The Saskatchewan Roughriders moved into second place in the CFL's West Division with a 29-16 victory over the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday.

    • Minister of Health Everett Hindley wrote to healthcare provider unions on Friday inviting them to join a nursing task force, something the government previously said no to.

    • People in Guelph may notice a new addition at the entrance to Franchetto Park in Guelph.

    • A young motorcyclist has been taken to an out-of-region hospital after a single vehicle crash in Woolwich Township.

    • On Saturday evening just before 8:00 p.m., emergency responders were on the scene of a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of 17th Line and 19th Line.

    • Fire crews responded to a structure fire on the 300 block of Ave N South Saturday evening.

    • Saskatoon Police Service has arrested a suspect in connection with two separate stabbing incidents that occurred earlier this month.

    • Minister of Health Everett Hindley wrote to healthcare provider unions on Friday inviting them to join a nursing task force, something the government previously said no to.

    • A tale about a taxicab hauling gold and sinking through the ice on Larder Lake, Ont., in December 1937 has captivated a man from that town for decades.

    • The CEO of the Ottawa Mission is responding to controversial comments made this week by Premier Doug Ford about those living in homeless encampments that received swift blowback from advocates.

    • On Friday, police in Sarnia say that they were sent to a hydro compound on Confederation Street following security alarms being triggered.

    • On Saturday, just before 10:00 p.m., police were called to the intersection of Richmond and Huron Streets for a welfare check.

    • The fourth annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada is on Monday, Sept. 30.

    • A pedestrian has died after reportedly getting struck by an OPP cruiser in Bala early Sunday morning.

    • South Simcoe Police are investigating a fatal collision in Innisfil that occurred early Saturday morning involving a car and a motorcycle.

    • Members of the Southern Georgian Bay OPP and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) are sounding the alarm on a rising number of online and phone scams targeting residents.

    • Two and a half years after losing her best friend and first love to suicide, Brooke Ford shared her story of grief and resilience at the CMHA Windsor-Essex Suicide Awareness Walk.

    • The BSI aims to elevate Black academic excellence, promoting scholarship, mentorship, and cultural knowledge.

    • The fourth annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada is on Monday, Sept. 30.

    • British Columbia saw a rare unanimous vote in its legislature in October 2019, when members passed a law adopting the United Nations Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, setting out standards including free, prior and informed consent for actions affecting them.

    • A man was found dead in a home in the Ditidaht First Nation on Vancouver Island Saturday morning, prompting local council to ask residents to shelter in place.

    • For decades, Melven Jones couldn’t talk about what happened to him as a child. He didn’t even remember it.

    • Fire crews in Vernon, B.C., responded to a large house fire early Saturday morning.

    • A pair of runaway pigs are in the custody of an animal sanctuary in the Okanagan after evading police and volunteers for hours earlier this week.

    • The Red Bridge, a historic landmark in Kamloops, B.C., was completely destroyed by fire early Thursday morning.

    • The sentencing for three men convicted of helping lead and coordinate the COVID-19 protest blockade at Coutts, Alta., in 2022 has been delayed.

    • A 10-year-old boy from Lethbridge is being praised as a hero after a routine summer outing at the pool nearly turned tragic for his friend.

    • A man and woman have been charged after a Lethbridge ice creamery was broken into earlier this week. Staff arrived at Cookie Crimes, in the 300 block of Sixth Street South, just before 5:30 a.m. on Monday to discover the front window broken.

    • Sault residents may notice some commotion on the Algoma University campus over the next two weeks as a team conducts an archaeological search.

    • The Pride crosswalk in downtown Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., has been hit by vandalism for the second time in less than three months.

    • Despite a lead at mid-game in front of a near-capacity home crowd, the Sudbury Wolves dropped their first game of their OHL regular season to Barrie, 3-1.

    N.L.

    Stay Connected
    Follow Â鶹´«Ã½