The Weekly Roundup - December 9, 2024
The House of Commons was a chamber of political maneuvering and sniping last week, with tensions flaring following the Speaker’s decision to interrupt the privilege debate to schedule opposition days on Thursday and Friday last week and Monday and Tuesday this week, followed by a vote on the government’s supplementary estimates expected on Tuesday.
Conservatives stalled debate on an NDP motion calling for expanded GST exemptions on essentials on Friday by raising a point of privilege tied to protests earlier in the week involving NDP MPs joining protestors calling for an arms embargo against Israel. This comes on the heels of the NDP disrupting a Conservative motion on Thursday that took NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh’s criticism of the Liberals and called for the House to declare non-confidence in the Liberal government. Instead, the NDP forced a debate and vote on abortion rights. The week’s tumultuous proceedings set the stage for what promises to be another equally raucous week ahead as MPs finish business in Ottawa for the year and prepare to head back to their ridings for the winter break.
Here are the other top stories and developments to keep an eye on:
Top Federal Stories
The Fall Economic Statement remains a point of contention in Parliament as the Liberal government faces mounting pressure to outline its fiscal plans. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland today announced the updated financial outlook will be tabled on December 16. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre offered the Liberals a two-hour window on Monday to deliver the statement during the opposition’s allotted debate time. Minister Freeland dismissed the offer as “absurd,” comparing it to an arsonist offering a fire truck, however the proposal highlights the Conservatives' ongoing skill in framing the delay as failure of the Liberal government to manage their parliamentary priorities.
Former Conservative leadership contender Patrick Brown testified before the Public Safety Committee, shedding light on allegations of foreign interference by the Indian government in Canada. Brown detailed attempts by Indian officials to undermine his leadership campaign, including pressure to stop using the term "Sikh nation." While Brown dismissed claims that these actions influenced the race’s outcome, his testimony reignited concerns about foreign meddling, particularly in the wake of heightened tensions between Canada and the Sikh diaspora.
Canada’s Arctic policy received a major overhaul this week, as the federal government unveiled a strategic initiative aimed at countering Russian and Chinese influence in the region. The plan includes appointing an Arctic ambassador, opening consulates in Alaska and Greenland, and collaborating with allies to address security challenges. Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly emphasized the growing geopolitical importance of the Arctic, citing Russian militarization and China’s ambitions to exploit new shipping routes. The policy document does not include specific funding commitments, but does commit to providing new funding over the next 5 years to ensure Canada is “fit-for-purpose” in the Arctic.
Statistics Canada data painted a mixed picture as Canada’s unemployment rate rose to 6.8%, the highest level since 2017 outside of pandemic years. The increase came despite a hiring spree that added over 50,000 jobs in November, mostly concentrated in the public sector. The uptick in joblessness reflects an influx of new job seekers and fuels speculation about the Bank of Canada’s upcoming interest rate decision on Wednesday. With the central bank under pressure to stimulate the economy, a significant rate cut is widely anticipated.
Former Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault faced further scrutiny this week as he testified before a parliamentary committee regarding controversies over his business dealings and statements about his Indigenous heritage. Boissonnault, who stepped down from cabinet last month, reiterated his apology for past inaccuracies in describing his family’s ancestry and distanced himself from a company he co-owned that had claimed to be Indigenous-owned in a bid for federal contracts. Boissonnault maintained that he never personally sought to benefit from Indigenous programs and said he has retained legal counsel to explore taking legal action against his former business partner.
Top Alberta Stories
The fall sitting of the Alberta legislature came to a close last week. Premier Danielle Smith and her government passed 13 bills, including amendments to the Alberta Bill of Rights, contentious legislation focused on transgender youth, and a motion under the Sovereignty Act. Along with a busy legislative agenda, the Premier sailed through a leadership review, appointed former Prime Minister Stephen Harper as the chair of the Alberta Investment Management Corporation, and had a few high-profile dustups with the federal government.
While the NDP is the largest official Opposition in Alberta’s history, this session wasn’t characterized by debate between the two leaders. Expectations were high after former three-term Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi grew the Alberta NDP’s membership five-fold and won the leadership race in a landslide. However, without a seat in the house this session, he couldn’t square off with Premier Smith, giving her time to focus on issues with the federal government.
Nenshi opted not to run in the Lethbridge-West byelection and told reporters he’s been splitting his time between Calgary and Edmonton and is open to running in either city. Under former leader Rachel Notley, Edmonton was an NDP stronghold, but with Notley on the backbench, support is said to be slipping.
The path to victory for the NDP in 2027 is narrow, especially as the UCP government adds two new seats to Alberta and looks to change how electoral boundaries are considered so that smaller municipalities surrounding Alberta's major cities could be combined into constituencies with portions of Edmonton and Calgary. Nenshi will need to be strategic about where he runs and how he spends his time, as the calendar inches closer to the next election.
The house is adjourned until February 2025 when MLA’s will return to Edmonton and prepare for the budget, which will be tabled on February 27.
Municipally, Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi has not officially announced whether he’ll seek re-election. The former MP and Edmonton city councillor has been tight lipped on the topic. Polling done in late August and early September suggests it could be a tough fight for the mayor with 60 per cent of respondents saying Sohi should be replaced. Registration opened on October 31 and last month two-term city councillor Tim Cartmell threw his hat in the ring. He’ll be joined by former PC MLA Peter Sandhu and former councillor Tony Caterina in the mayoral race. More than a dozen people are already registered to run for council, including former NDP MLA Chris Neilsen.
New West is watching the municipal campaigns, provincial budget, and upcoming federal election closely and are ready to support our clients. If we can help you with your advocacy goals, please reach out.
Top Ontario Stories
Meanwhile in Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government responded to the Auditor General’s annual report.
Ontario Auditor General, Shelley Spence identified concerns about the government’s management of projects and programs, including the relocation of the Ontario Science Centre, the redevelopment of Ontario Place, and the use of ministerial zoning orders (MZOs).
The Auditor General recommended an overhaul of the MZO process, citing a lack of transparency and consultation. The Auditor General found the Ford government has dramatically increased the use of MZOs over previous governments, and that MZOs are often being approved by the Minister on “ad hoc” or “tight deadlines”
The Auditor General report also flagged escalating costs and unclear benefits tied to the Science Centre move and Ontario Place development. The AG report suggests the cost of the relocation has increased by $400 million in less than eight months, ballooning to over $1.4 billion.
The government’s handling of opioid addiction was also criticized. The report pointed to an absence of a cohesive strategy despite a worsening crisis, with overdose deaths reaching record levels. The Auditor General called out a lack of specific goals or targets, and noted no ongoing monitoring or evaluation of performance or outcomes was being tracked. She called for stronger coordination and accountability among provincial agencies to address gaps in prevention, treatment, and support services.
Premier Doug Ford also appeared on Fox News where he emphasized the number of jobs on both sides of the border that depend on trade between Canada and the United States. He called Trump’s tariff threat against Canada a bad idea and warned of the impact on American jobs and reiterated the position that he’s made before that the “real focus” should be on Chinese goods shipped through Mexico.
The Ontario Legislature is expected to rise this week and isn’t scheduled to return until February 18, 2025. A recent poll shows Ford’s PC party with a commanding lead ahead of the opposition parties in Ontario. At 43 per cent support, Ford is mulling whether to call an early election in 2025. The Liberals are currently sitting at 25 per cent, the NDP at 21 per cent, while the Greens are at six percent.
Upcoming Events Calendar
December 16, 2024: Cloverdale-Langley City Federal Byelection
December 16, 2024: Federal Fall Economic Statement Tabled
December 18, 2024: Lethbridge-West Provincial Byelection
February 27, 2025: Alberta Budget Tabled