Close X
Tuesday, November 5, 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

Trudeau in New York next week to talk climate, development at UN General Assembly

Trudeau in New York next week to talk climate, development at UN General Assembly
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will travel to New York next week to take part in the 78th meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.  The Prime Minister's Office confirmed today that Trudeau will be at the UN Sept. 19-21, with the climate crisis and sustainable development at the top of his agenda. 

Trudeau in New York next week to talk climate, development at UN General Assembly

BC crime data can be accessed online

BC crime data can be accessed online
Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam residents can now access police data about crime in their cities online. The Coquitlam R-C-M-P says it has launched its new property crime dashboard, allowing members of the public to explore crimes reported in the cities on an interactive map tool. 

BC crime data can be accessed online

Ibrahim Ali trial

Ibrahim Ali trial
An RCMP expert testifying at Ibrahim Ali's murder trial said the first DNA evidence linking the accused to the killing of a 13-year-old girl in Burnaby, B.C., came from a discarded cigarette butt. Christine Crossman says Ali's DNA from the cigarette was then matched to the DNA recovered from the body of the girl who was found dead in Burnaby's Central Park six years ago.

Ibrahim Ali trial

Man walked naked out of shower, found Mountie in his bedroom: lawsuit

Man walked naked out of shower, found Mountie in his bedroom: lawsuit
A British Columbia man who is suing the RCMP claims he walked naked out of his shower to find a female uniformed Mountie standing in his bedroom. Kirk Forbes says the encounter in his Coquitlam home in June 2022 left him "shocked, confused and embarrassed."  

Man walked naked out of shower, found Mountie in his bedroom: lawsuit

Small plane with engine failure makes emergency landing on highway near Salmo, B.C.

Small plane with engine failure makes emergency landing on highway near Salmo, B.C.
Mounties in southeastern British Columbia say the pilot of a small plane used Highway 6 as a runway after experiencing engine trouble.  Police say a member of the public informed them on Tuesday that the plane was parked on the side of the highway, near Salmo.  

Small plane with engine failure makes emergency landing on highway near Salmo, B.C.

Pedestrian dies in Abbotsford crash

Pedestrian dies in Abbotsford crash
Police in Abbotsford say a 35-year-old pedestrian died late last night after being hit by a vehicle. The death came just hours after an unrelated head-on crash involving two vehicles in the southwest corner of Abbotsford, leaving both drivers -- a 49-year-old man and 29-year-old woman -- with potentially life-threatening injuries.

Pedestrian dies in Abbotsford crash