Close X
Tuesday, October 29, 2024
ADVT 
National

Parliament returns amid partisan wrangling, rumblings about Trudeau's leadership

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 21 Oct, 2024 11:24 AM
  • Parliament returns amid partisan wrangling, rumblings about Trudeau's leadership

The House of Commons returns today from a weeklong break, but it's unlikely to be business as usual.

Members of Parliament resumed an 11th day of debate on a Conservative demand for documents about federal spending on green technology projects.

The matter of privilege has all but paralyzed House business as the Liberals try to maintain a grip on an increasingly fractious minority Parliament.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has also written a letter to House Speaker Greg Fergus, asking for an emergency debate on the RCMP allegations that agents of the Indian government were linked to cases of murder, extortion and coercion in Canada. 

Canada expelled six Indian diplomats and India in turn sent six Canadian envoys home as a result of the allegations.

In the letter, Singh says "the severity of the situation and the danger it poses to all Canadians" warrants an emergency debate so parliamentarians can discuss potential actions to protect people. 

An NDP spokesperson said if Fergus approves the request, the debate could happen as early as Monday evening, once the regularly scheduled sitting of Parliament is over. 

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to face the most serious challenge to his leadership to date.

Several media reports have detailed that a group of Liberal MPs plan to confront Trudeau at the party's Wednesday caucus meeting over sagging poll numbers and gloomy electoral prospects.

The precise strategy and breadth of the attempt to push Trudeau to resign remain unclear, though some MPs who spoke to The Canadian Press on background said the number of members involved is significant.

Trudeau could sidestep both problems by taking the controversial step of proroguing Parliament, which would end the session and set the stage for a fresh throne speech.

Some political watchers have also mused that would allow time for the Liberals to hold leadership race if Trudeau were to step down. 

The prime minister plans to soon shuffle his cabinet to replace four ministers who don't plan to run again in the next election.

A general election must be held by October next year, but it could come sooner if the Liberals lose the confidence of the House.

MORE National ARTICLES

B.C. Health Minister announces appointment of new seniors advocate

B.C. Health Minister announces appointment of new seniors advocate
B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix says the province's new seniors advocate is Dan Levitt, an adjunct professor of gerontology at Simon Fraser University and the head of a non-profit long-term care home.  Levitt says he's "deeply honoured" to be appointed the province's second seniors advocate, and thanked current advocate Isobel Mackenzie, who is retiring in April. 

B.C. Health Minister announces appointment of new seniors advocate

Tackling Cyberbullying Digital Empathy in the Age of AI

Tackling Cyberbullying Digital Empathy in the Age of AI
The rise of social media platforms and online forums has connected people globally, fostering communication and collaboration. However, this interconnectedness has also opened the door to malicious behavior, with cyberbullying emerging as a formidable threat. Unlike traditional forms of bullying, cyberbullying transcends physical boundaries, allowing perpetrators to target individuals relentlessly through the anonymity afforded by the internet.

Tackling Cyberbullying Digital Empathy in the Age of AI

Balancing Acts The Impact of Work Hour Restrictions on International Students

Balancing Acts The Impact of Work Hour Restrictions on International Students
The Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulation stipulates that international students holding a study permit without a work permit are limited to working a maximum of 20 hours per week off-campus during the academic session, while they are permitted to work full-time during breaks between sessions. On-campus work has no hourly restrictions. Violation of this work cap, as outlined by the Government of Canada, may result in severe consequences, including the loss of student status, denial of approval for future study or work permits, or even deportation. 

Balancing Acts The Impact of Work Hour Restrictions on International Students

Building Tomorrow Canada's Immigration Plans Amidst Affordable Housing Realities

Building Tomorrow Canada's Immigration Plans Amidst Affordable Housing Realities
In a bold move to shape its demographic landscape, Canada is gearing up to welcome a significant influx of immigrants, with the government's announced targets aiming to bring in 485,000 new permanent residents in 2024, escalating to 500,000 in 2025, and maintaining that level in 2026. This strategic push is propelled by the twin engines of economic growth and a compassionate response to global humanitarian crises. 

Building Tomorrow Canada's Immigration Plans Amidst Affordable Housing Realities

B.C. to restrict cellphones in schools to protect kids from online harm

B.C. to restrict cellphones in schools to protect kids from online harm
British Columbia is moving to restrict the use of cellphones in schools as part of measures Premier David Eby says will help protect young people from online threats. Eby said the government will also launch a service to remove intimate images from the internet and "pursue predators," as well as introduce legislation to hold social media companies accountable for harms they have caused. 

B.C. to restrict cellphones in schools to protect kids from online harm

Cap on student visas should help take pressure off soaring rents, Macklem says

Cap on student visas should help take pressure off soaring rents, Macklem says
Immigration Minister Marc Miller said at a cabinet retreat in Montreal on Monday that the number of new visas handed out this year will be capped at 364,000, a 35 per cent decrease from the nearly 560,000 issued last year. The number for 2025 will be set after an assessment of the situation later this year.

Cap on student visas should help take pressure off soaring rents, Macklem says