Close X
Saturday, November 2, 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

Nijjar fallout: India reportedly tells Canada to bring home 'dozens' of its diplomats

Nijjar fallout: India reportedly tells Canada to bring home 'dozens' of its diplomats
India reportedly wants 41 of 62 Canadian diplomats out of the country by early next week- a striking, if largely anticipated, deepening of the rift that erupted last month following Trudeau's explosive allegations in the House of Commons. 

Nijjar fallout: India reportedly tells Canada to bring home 'dozens' of its diplomats

House of Commons elects Liberal MP Greg Fergus as first Black Canadian Speaker

House of Commons elects Liberal MP Greg Fergus as first Black Canadian Speaker
Liberal member of Parliament Greg Fergus has been elected the House of Commons Speaker in a historic mid-session vote, becoming the first Black person to hold the position in Canada's Parliament.  Fergus, 54, was first elected to represent the Quebec riding of Hull-Aylmer in 2015.   

House of Commons elects Liberal MP Greg Fergus as first Black Canadian Speaker

Fall sitting starts for B.C. legislature with four official parties

Fall sitting starts for B.C. legislature with four official parties
British Columbia politicians are back in the legislature for the fall session, and the seating arrangement looks a little different. The Conservative Party of B.C. now has official party status, complete with a nearly $400,000 annual budget, after former BC United MLA Bruce Banman crossed the floor last month to join John Rustad.

Fall sitting starts for B.C. legislature with four official parties

Federal ministers still lack mandate letters, two months after majority shuffled

Federal ministers still lack mandate letters, two months after majority shuffled
Shortly after taking office in 2015, Trudeau's government announced it would publish the lists of tasks given to each minister, known as mandate letters. The documents lay out the priorities for each federal minister, and signal to public servants the timeline or scope of policies the government wants to advance.

Federal ministers still lack mandate letters, two months after majority shuffled

19-year-old clocked going 199 km on North Van highway

19-year-old clocked going 199 km on North Van highway
R-C-M-P in North Vancouver say a lead-footed driver with a learners licence is a lot poorer -- and less mobile -- today after making a bad choice on Friday night. Mounties say the 19-year-old was clocked doing 199 kilometres per hour in an 80-kilometre per hour zone along the Upper Levels Highway through North Van.

19-year-old clocked going 199 km on North Van highway

Interest rates to stay high

Interest rates to stay high
Experts are warning the next few years will likely see sharp mortgage payment increases amid expectations that interest rates will stay higher for longer. Variable rate mortgage holders have already seen their payments surge by more than 49 per cent on average, according to Bank of Canada data, but many fixed rate holders still haven't felt the sharp rise in rates.

Interest rates to stay high