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CANADA


by the Quebec Police in February 2013. Sen. Brazeau pleaded not guilty to both offences, and the legal proceedings are ongoing. Regarding the Senate expenses investigation, Sen. Brazeau claimed he complied with the Senate rules for housing expenses and has asked for a public hearing on his case. The report on Sen. Duffy’s expenses notes that he had already repaid $90,000 and did not owe Parliament any further payments. However, a week after the Internal Economy Committee’s report was released, a spokesman from the Prime Minsiter’s Office, Mr Andrew MacDougall, confirmed that the Prime Minister’s chief of staff, Mr Nigel Wright, had written a personal cheque for $90,172.24 to repay Sen. Duffy’s living expenses, and that the cheque was a gift. On 16 May 2013, Sen. Duffy resigned from the Conservative caucus and is currently sitting as an independent. Sen. Wallin’s audit is ongoing; however on 17 May 2013, she also recused herself from the Conservative caucus and now sits as an independent.


Shortly following the intense media coverage surrounding revelations that he had written a $90,000 cheque to repay improperly claimed housing expenses for Sen. Duffy, Mr Wright resigned from his post. He issued a statement, stating that that the Prime Minister accepted his resignation and that he did not advise the Prime Minister of the means by which Senator Duffy’s expenses were repaid, either before or after the fact.


The Prime Minister also informed the public that he had not been aware of his chief of staff’s activities regarding Sen. Duffy’s expenses until the media began reporting on the matter. Mr Ray Novak, Prime Minister


Harper’s principal secretary, has since taken on the role as chief


of staff. On 4 June 2013, Sen.


Marjory LeBreton, Leader of the Government in the Senate, announced her intention to introduce a motion in the Senate calling on Canada’s Auditor General to conduct a comprehensive audit of all Senate expenses.


Legislation


On 29 April 2013, the government introduced Bill C-60, Economic Action Plan 2013 Act, No. 1. The 128-page Bill makes


hundreds of amendments to over 20 federal statutes. The Bill would also enact the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act, which allows for the amalgamation of the Department of Foreign Affairs


Ms Shelly Glover, MP


and International Trade Canada (DFAIT) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). At second reading, on 1 May


2013, Conservative MP Ms Shelly Glover (Saint Boniface) stated: “Bill C-60 would implement key measures from the recent federal budget, economic action plan 2013, which is a positive and forward-looking blueprint to help grow the Canadian economy today and into tomorrow. This plan would make our economy stronger by helping our manufacturers buy new equipment with tax relief, help small businesses create more jobs with a hiring credit, help


rebuild our roads and bridges with record new support for infrastructure and much more.” Opposition MPs criticized the Bill for being too large-scale and argued that it should be broken down into a number of smaller bills. Finance Critic, MP Ms Peggy Nash (Parkdale-High Park) stated: “Bill C-60 includes a large variety of complex measures— from changes to the temporary foreign worker programme and the Investment Canada Act to the merger of DFAIT and CIDA. These are important issues that deserve thorough consideration and scrutiny, both here in Ottawa and in our communities from coast to coast to coast. Bill C-56, An Act to amend the Copyright Act and the Trade-marks Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts, (short title: Combating Counterfeit Products Act) was introduced in Parliament on 1 March 2013. The Bill amended the Copyright Act and the Trade-marks Act to add new civil and criminal remedies and new border measures to both Acts in order to strengthen the enforcement of copyright and trade-mark rights and to curtail commercial activity involving infringing copies and counterfeit trade-marked goods. On 31 May 2013, Minister of


Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, Mr Bernard Valcourt, introduced Bill C-62, an Act to give effect to the Yale First Nation Final Agreement and to make consequential amendments to other Acts. This legislation will ratify the


Yale First Nation Final Agreement, made between Yale First Nation and the Province of British Columbia. “The introduction of this legislation demonstrates what can happen when parties work together toward a common objective and, more important, it brings the Yale First Nation one step closer to establishing a new


future for its community”, said Minister Valcourt. “This agreement brings economic benefits for all Canadians, and will give the Yale First Nation the tools and authority


Ms Peggy Nash, MP


to take control of its future.” Bill C-53, An Act to assent to alterations in the law touching the Succession to the Throne received Royal Assent on 27 March 2013. At the 2011 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), the 16 Realms for which Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is the Head of State agreed to change the rules governing the line of succession to the Throne. Each Realm was tasked with introducing legislation in their individual Legislatures. As a result, Bill C-53 was introduced in Canada by Justice Minister Hon. Rob Nicholson, MP, on 31 January 2013. The legislation confirms that Canada approves of ending the practice of placing male heirs ahead of their older sisters in the line of succession. The Bill also permits heirs to the throne who marry Roman Catholics to remain eligible in the line of succession Mr Nicholson stated that


“these changes will ensure that the Crown evolves to reflect Canadian culture and values…. Canadians are proud of the crown and we are proud of this legislation”.


The Parliamentarian | 2013: Issue Two | 149


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