Hello,
The federal government continues to stand by its commitment to not release the names of parliamentarians accused by a new report of working with foreign interests.
During a committee hearing and in Question Period today, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc refused to identify parliamentarians named in the classified version of the report from the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) earlier this week.
“No government is in a position to release sensitive information about particular pieces of intelligence,” LeBlanc told Conservative House Leader Andrew Scheer during Question Period.
The report says some parliamentarians “wittingly” participated in efforts by other countries to interfere in Canadian politics.
LeBlanc suggested Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who was not in the Commons, avail himself of a government offer to get a security clearance so he could review confidential material that is cited in the report. “Then he could come to a reasoned judgement,” said LeBlanc.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was also not in the Commons today. He is in France attending ceremonies to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy.
Scheer asked if any MPs listed in the report are now in cabinet. In response, LeBlanc said he would give full points to Scheer for trying to get him to do indirectly what he cannot do directly.
Earlier Thursday, LeBlanc told a committee of MPs he would not release the names.
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TODAY'S HEADLINES
Federal Health Minister tables bill designed to improve patients’ access to health data: Mark Holland said in a statement today that the Connected Care for Canadians Act is designed to allow health information to be accessed by patients and shared between health care providers when required.
Quebec adopts law to fine people who intimidate, harass politicians: The Coalition Avenir Québec government has said that the law is necessary to stem the rise in resignations of elected officials, particularly at the municipal level, but critics have said it threatens free-speech rights.
MPs calling out hate while disparaging Israel criticism ‘duplicitous,’ Muslim groups say: Stephen Brown, the CEO of the National Council of Canadian Muslims, said he feels MPs have been “duplicitous” in calling out discrimination while vilifying people for attending peaceful pro-Palestinian protests.
Liberal government launches $1.5-billion program to build more co-op housing: Housing Minister Sean Fraser is in Winnipeg today to announce the program, which is expected to build thousands of new homes by 2028.
U.S., Britain, Canada and others urge Hamas to accept ceasefire proposal: The statement also came from the leaders of Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Colombia, Denmark, France, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain and Thailand, according to the White House.
At Juno Beach ceremony, Canadian veterans, leaders remind us to ‘stand for democracy’: “The democracy which is our way of life did not happen by accident,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told assembled veterans, dignitaries and observers gathered near the beach at Courseulles-sur-Mer, code-named Juno, today.
Trudeau, Legault to meet Monday in Quebec City to talk immigration: Premier François Legault will meet the Prime Minister on Monday in Quebec City. They are expected to discuss immigration. CTV reports.
One last hurrah for Ontario’s 18th premier: TVO’s Steve Paikin reports on how the Ontario Heritage Trust puts a plaque and a flag beside the final resting places of every first minister. This week, it was Bill Davis’s turn.
N.B Premier’s former spokesperson wants to run against provincial Liberal Leader: Nicolle Carlin, a spokesperson for Premier Blaine Higgs since 2018, has announced she is seeking the Progressive Conservative nomination in Fredericton South-Silverwood – the same riding Liberal Leader Susan Holt plans to contest in the next election, set for October. CBC reports.
TODAY’S POLITICAL QUOTES
“I am horrified to imagine that, at this point, we still don’t know who these people are, within our ranks, who have been alleged to have put the interests of foreign governments ahead of their own government” - Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, during a Parliament Hill news conference, on the foreign-interference report.
“Boo hoo. Get over it.” -Liberal MP Jennifer O’Connell, during a hearing of the public safety and national security committee today, in remarks to Conservatives during the hearing. O’Connell says she was responding to Conservatives complaining with points of order because efforts to generate social-media clips were not working. Conservatives circulated her quote on social media, suggesting it shows the Liberals aren’t taking foreign interference seriously.
“Of course, we know that the Liberals appreciate transparency about the same way they appreciate an enema” - Conservative MP Rachael Thomas, during Question Period today. Thomas was asking a question about a dispute between the federal government and the Parliamentary Budget Officer over his carbon-pricing analysis.
THIS AND THAT
Today in the Commons: Projected Order of Business at the House of Commons, June 6, accessible here.
Deputy Prime Minister’s Day: Private meetings in Toronto, and Chrystia Freeland toured a housing cooperative ahead of an announcement and taking media questions.
Ministers on the Road: In Winnipeg, Housing Minister Sean Fraser and Northern Affairs Minister Dan Vandal made a housing announcement. At McMaster University in Hamilton, Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne and Filomena Tassi, minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, participated in a roundtable discussion.
Commons Committee Highlights: Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Justice Minister Arif Virani were scheduled to appear before the public-safety committee, meeting at 8:15 a.m. ET, on Bill C-70, an Act respecting countering foreign interference. Leaders of the Air Transport Association of Canada and National Airlines Council of Canada were among witnesses set to appear before the transport committee on the Competition Act and air travel in northern, rural and remote committees of Canada.
Alberta Addictions Minister Dan Williams is on the witness list for a health-committee hearing on the opioid epidemic and toxic drug crisis in Canada. Caroline Xavier, chief of Communications Security Establishment Canada, is on the witness list for a hearing of the procedure and House affairs committee with Rajiv Gupta, associate head of the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security – part of CSEC. Senior executives of Cenovus Energy Inc., Enbridge Inc., Imperial Oil Limited, Shell Canada Limited, and Suncor Energy Inc. are appearing before the environment committee on profits and emissions-reduction efforts in Canada’s oil and gas industry. Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu and Defence Minister Bill Blair were scheduled to appear before a hearing of the public-accounts committee, beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET, on reports by the Auditor-General of Canada about housing in First Nations communities and ArriveCan.
Senate Committee Highlights: Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan was among the witnesses appearing before the energy committee this morning on Bill C-50, the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act. Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson appeared before the social-affairs committee on the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act.
GG in New Brunswick: Mary Simon continued her tour of New Brunswick with her partner Whit Fraser. Commitments today included Simon participating in a discussion on salmon conservation and research activities on the Miramichi River, and attending an 80th anniversary ceremony and celebration of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy in Moncton.
New diplomats: Jenny Hill has been named Canada’s new ambassador to Iceland and Heidi Hulan ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, in Brussels, in a pair of appointments by Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly. Biographies here.
Star parliamentarians: Sitting MPs and senators have named Housing Minister Sean Fraser Parliamentarian of the Year and Michael Chong, the official-opposition foreign-affairs critic, the most knowledgeable MP in the Parliamentarians of the Year Awards.
The iPolitics political web site has taken on the management of the awards, picking up the role from Maclean’s magazine. Nominees and winners were chosen by MPs and senators. The Ottawa polling firm Spark* helped with the voting process.
Other winners, announced Wednesday evening:
Most Collaborative MP: Scott Aitchison
Best Constituency Representative MP: Lori Idlout
Senator of the Year: Raymonde Saint-Germain
Most Impactful Speaker in the Senate: Yuen Pau Woo
PRIME MINISTER'S DAY
Justin Trudeau was in Deauville, France today for ceremonies commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. He was scheduled to begin his day by meeting with Charles Michel, the president of the European Council. Afterward, he attended the Canadian national ceremony commemorating the anniversary and delivered remarks. Trudeau also attended France’s International Ceremony. In the evening, he was scheduled to leave France to return to Ottawa.
LEADERS
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was scheduled to attend an evening party fundraising event in Toronto at the TD Tower.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May attended a news conference on Parliament Hill with Prevent Cancer Now on issues around failures of asbestos cement pipes.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, in the Vancouver region, spoke at the Celebration of Life for Kim Novak, former president of the United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 1518. Later, Singh will attend the Parent Support Services Society of BC Gala.
No schedule provided for Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet.
THE DECIBEL
On today’s podcast, Mark Rendell – a journalist with The Globe’s Report on Business – discusses the art and science behind rate cuts by the Bank of Canada, what the current cut means for people and the economy and how the bank might move forward. The Decibel is here.
TRIBUTE
Bill Estabrooks: The former Nova Scotia energy minister, a member of the legislature for 15 years, has died, aged 76. CBC reports.
PUBLIC OPINION
Israel-Gaza ceasefire: A majority of Canadians and Americans believe a ceasefire should be called in the Israel-Hamas conflict, according to new research by the Angus Reid Institute.
OPINION
Alberta’s municipal power grab is flawed policy – and bad politics
“Albertans expected Danielle Smith to fight Ottawa on issues such as climate and fiscal policy. They didn’t expect the Alberta Premier would do so much battling with municipalities in her own province.” – The Globe and Mail Editorial Board.
We need to know the names of the traitor MPs, but don’t count on any of the parties to give them up
“At some point in the next few weeks, some member of Parliament is going to have to rise in the House and, under cover of parliamentary privilege, read out the names of the MPs suspected of betraying their country. Someone, with access to the same intelligence on which the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) based the allegations in its recent report, will have to leak it to him or her, risking imprisonment. Otherwise, I fear, that is the last we are going to hear of it.” - Andrew Coyne.
Even if Trump wins again, Washington can’t ignore the reality of U.S.-Canada trade
“Can sleight-of-hand and a frozen grin work a second time? As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his senior advisers wrapped a visit to Philadelphia last month, where they’d hung out with Vice-President Kamala Harris and enthused about the Canada-U.S. relationship, some in the federal civil service had to have breathed an exceedingly tired sigh.” - Michael Den Tandt.
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Editor’s note: The lead item in this newsletter previously stated, that the federal government will not release the names of MPs listed in the national-security report. It has been updated to clarify that names of parliamentarians (both MPs and senators) listed in the report will not be released.
Ian Bailey