PARLIAMENTARY REPORT
a total of $2.75 million in remedies from 68 NDP Members stemming from the use of satellite offices that housed both parliamentary and political staff (see The Parliamentarian, 2014, Issue 3). The BOIE had determined that this was an inappropriate use of parliamentary resources. Some NDP Members challenged this ruling in court, but the court proceedings were suspended in November while the BOIE and the NDP discussed the possibility of a settlement.
Cabinet shuffle On 5 January 2015, the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper, MP, announced changes to his cabinet. Hon. Julian Fantino, MP, was replaced as Minister of Veterans Affairs by Hon. Erin O’Toole, MP, formerly the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade and once an officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force. Mr. Fantino, who previously served as Minister of International Cooperation and Associate Minister of National Defence, was named once again Associate Minister of National Defence, with responsibilities for Arctic sovereignty, information technology security and foreign intelligence.
Budget delayed On 15 January 2015, Finance Minister Hon. Joe Oliver, MP, announced he would not deliver the federal budget until at least April. The budget is usually delivered in February or March, but it was delayed because of the uncertainty caused by the rapid decline in petroleum prices, which will result in lower government revenue.
and the Liberal candidate 14%. In the by-election, the Conservative candidate, Pat Perkins, won with 49% of the vote. The Liberal candidate came second with 41% and the NDP came third with 8%. Voter turnout was
Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper, MP
By-elections On 17 November 2014, by-elections were held in the Alberta riding of Yellowhead and the Ontario riding of Whitby–Oshawa. The governing Conservative Party retained both ridings. In Yellowhead, the by-election was held to replace Hon. Rob Merrifield, MP, who resigned in September. In the 2011 election, Mr. Merrifield, took 77% of the vote, the NDP candidate 13% and the Liberal candidate 3%. In the by-election, the Conservative candidate, Jim Eglinski, won with 63% of the vote, while the Liberal candidate took 20% and the NDP candidate took 10%. In Whitby–Oshawa, the by-election was held to replace the late Hon. Jim Flaherty, MP, the former Minister of Finance who died suddenly in April. In 2011, Mr. Flaherty had taken 58% of the vote, the NDP candidate 22%
extremely low in both by-elections. In Yellowhead, merely 16% of the registered electors voted, while in Whitby–Oshawa, only 32% voted.
Resignations On 5 November 2014, Dean Del Mastro, MP, the Member for Peterborough, Ontario, resigned after being found guilty of violating the Canada Elections Act. A former Conservative MP, Mr. Del Mastro had been sitting as an independent since September 2013, when he was first charged. On 16 December, Glenn
Thibeault, MP, the NDP member for Sudbury, Ontario, resigned to run as the Ontario Liberal party candidate in a provincial by-election, which he won. On 3 February 2015, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. John Baird, MP, resigned from cabinet and announced that he would be resigning as MP in the coming weeks.
Legislation Hon. Erin O’Toole, MP 52| The Parliamentarian | 2015: Issue One
In the Senate, the government introduced Bill S-7, the Zero Tolerance for Barbaric Cultural Practices Act. The practices referred to include early, forced and polygamous marriage, and ‘honour’-based violence. Among other things, the bill makes polygamy a ground for refusing non- citizens the right to live in and visit Canada, sets 16 years as the minimum age for marriage, and outlaws certain activities related to early and forced marriages.
Hon. Joe Oliver, MP
In the House of Commons, the government introduced a number of bills, including: Act, which introduces measures related to prevention, preparation and response, and liability and compensation.
Canada’s Grain Industry Act, which allows the Canadian Grain Commission to establish a compensation fund and includes measures related to grain quality and grain safety.
CANADA
Act, which allows the Commissioner of
Competition to investigate why products cost more in Canada than in the United States.
which amends the Canada Elections Act to require voters living abroad to provide proof of identity, past residence and citizenship in order to vote from outside the country.
Act, 2015, which includes a number of measures to counter terrorism, including criminalizing the advocacy or promotion of terrorism offences, providing for the removal of terrorist propaganda from the Internet and giving law enforcement agencies the power to disrupt terrorist activity.
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