#CANADA: Online Streaming Bill Goes To House of Commons

[world politics news]

On Thursday, Canada's Senate approved the Liberal government's Bill C-11, otherwise known as the “Online Streaming Bill,” which has drawn a variety of criticisms, including from leading Canadian novelists and tech giant YouTube.

Bill C-11 will now head back to the House of Commons, where members vote over passing it into law. 

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: Commissioner Says Trade Minister Violated Conflict Of Interest Rules

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Canada's federal conflict of interest and ethics commissioner says Trade Minister Mary Ng broke the rules when her office awarded a contract to one of her friends.

Commissioner Mario Dion released a report Tuesday after the federal Conservatives filed a complaint back in the spring, raising concerns over the fact that Ng’s office awarded media training contracts to the firm Pomp and Circumstance.

The firm was co-founded and run by Amanda Alvaro, a friend of Ng’s.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: Chief Public Health Officer Gets 22% Pay Hike

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The Liberal Party government has greenlit a 22% hike to Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam’s salary. 

According to a published report, Tam will now be earning $324,000 a year – a $59,400 boost from her previous salary of $265,000. Additionally, Tam had her contract for the role extended by another three years. 

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: Opposition Parties Urge Liberals To Act On Inflation

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The Conservatives and the New Democrats are demanding that the federal government introduce new measures to address the rising cost of living for Canadians, with different approaches to tackle the inflation crisis.

The Conservatives have put forward an opposition day motion asking that the government temporarily suspend the Goods and Services tax collected on gasoline and diesel, freeze the carbon tax, and eliminate tariffs on fertilizer, among other requests, in order to provide immediate relief to Canadians.

But NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh argued the way to tackle risk ng prices is by imposing an excess profit tax on big companies.

“We see clearly that corporations are making these massive profits. They’re making record-setting profits and their record-setting profits are directly contributing to the cost of living going up,” Singh said.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: New Democrats Enter Three-Year Accord With Liberals To Support It's Majority

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New Democratic Party has entered into a confidence-and-supply agreement with the ruling Liberal Party to support its legislation and vote "yes" in any no confidence votes for the next three years, in exchange for Liberals pushing through NDP legislation and programs.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he would be willing to pull out of the new deal if it doesn't work as planned, but he said that he is confident his party can secure the social programs and other policies Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised to implement in their accord.

“We’re not going to let the Liberal government off the hook,” Singh told reporters near Parliament Hill on Tuesday, shortly after details of the Liberal-NDP deal were published.

Despite campaigning in the past two elections with rhetoric that attacked Trudeau as untrustworthy and beholden to corporate interests, Singh said he has faith the Liberals will abide by the deal, which is now a public document that Singh described as a new tool for New Democrats to secure their policy priorities in Canada’s minority Parliament.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: NDP, Liberals in Talks To Avoid Confidence Votes For Three Years

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Senior Liberals and New Democrats are quietly kicking around the idea of reaching a deal that would allow the government to go three years without falling on a confidence vote.

Justin Trudeau and Jagmeet Singh have met secretly to discuss the parliamentary session ahead.

If the NDP, with 25 MPs, agrees to support the government, the Liberals, who have 159 MPs, they would together have 184 MPs, more than enough to avoid defeat in the Commons during a vote of "no confidence."

When such a vote is lost, a new, snap, election is called. Having just held an election in September, all parties are eager to avoid that situation.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: NDP Leader Says Party May Withhold Votes From Liberals

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Fresh off national elections that left the ruling Liberal Party in the minority, relying on other parties to get its legislation through Parliament, Canadian New Democratic Party Leader Jagmeet Singh is signalling a tougher approach to co-operation with the Liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Singh says his caucus is prepared to “withhold votes” if Trudeau presses ahead with legislation it does not agree with.

The NDP is the fourth largest party in Parliament after the election, with 25 seats. Trudeau's liberals say they are seeking to work with other parties like the Greens to get their agenda passed.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: Gender & Equality Minister Loses Seat, Called Taliban "Our Brothers"

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A Liberal Party cabinet minister who had called the Taliban "our brothers" in a news conference lost her seat in Parliament in Monday's election.

Conservative candidate Michelle Ferreri is now projected to defeat Liberal Minister Maryan Monsef, after 130 polls being counted.

The now-former Liberal Minister for Gender Equality received major backlash after she referred to the Taliban as "our brothers" during a press conference providing updates on the situation in Afghanistan, just days after the election was called.

Monsef, an Afghan Canadian, said: "I want to take this opportunity to speak to our brothers the Taliban; we call on you to ensure the safe and secure passage of any individual in Afghanistan out of the country. We call on you to immediately stop the violence, the genocide, the femicide, the destruction of infrastructure, including heritage buildings."

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: Vax Passports Ready For International Travel

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Vaccination passports from the federal government are a go.

Canada’s Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino announced Wednesday the Liberals are working with provinces across the country to get the passports ready for international travel.

“The government is collaborating with provinces, territories and indigenous communities to address the matter of vaccine credentials,” said Mendicino.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: Liberal Party Wins Majority In Newfoundland and Labrador Election

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The Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador will form a majority government in the Atlantic province after a chaotic election season postponed by the coronavirus pandemic.

According to results, the Liberals won 22 seats, an increase of two from the previous election, with PC Party leader Ches Crosbie and NDP leader Alison Coffin losing their seats to Liberal candidates.

The original February 13th election date was postponed due to an outbreak of covid-19 in the province.

Newfoundland and Labrador faces the both the highest rates of unemployment and highest per-person debt in Canada.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: MP Charged With Assault "Stepping Back" From Liberal Party Caucus, But Not Resigning

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Member of Parliament Marwan Tabbara said he is “stepping back from the Liberal caucus” but not resigning as an MP after revelations he was criminally charged with assault, break and enter and criminal harassment.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: Ruling Liberal Party Backs Off Plan To Push For 21-Month "Blank Check" To Spend, Tax, Without Parliament

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Hours before introducing a bill to spend up to $82 billion and increase federal powers to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, the Liberals backed off a measure that the Opposition decried as an attempt to get Parliament to sign them a blank check.

While Conservatives said they were prepared to quickly approve the billions in emergency financial aid and economic stimulus as promised by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last week, they balked at a proposal to give the government sweeping new powers for up to 21 months to unilaterally spend, borrow and tax Canadians without seeking Parliament's approval.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: PM Trudeau Swears In A Second "Gender-Balanced" Cabinet; First Deputy PM Since 2006

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced and swore in his new cabinet yesterday in Ottawa, and just as in 2015, he ensured it was "gender-balanced," with 50% female ministers. Media noted that it was a more subdued ceremony than 2015's, likely to to the fact that Trudeau's government holds a minority of seats in Parliament, hence, is a "minority government."

Foreign Affairs Minster Chrystia Freeland has moved to serving as Minister for Intergovernmental Affairs in this new cabinet, while also serving as Deputy Prime Minister, a position he revived after it was eliminated in 2006.

It is believed the Alberta-born Freeland will use her post at Intergovernmental Affairs to sooth ongoing tensions in Alberta and other western provinces, which have increasingly felt alienated from the Federal government, which is seen as catering more to eastern provinces.

Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna will be removed from that ministerial role and replaced by Fisheries and Coast Guard Minister Jonathan Wilkinson. McKenna will take on the role of Minister of Infrastructure and Communities.

Other ministers included: Foreign Affairs: Francois-Phillippe Champagne, Natural Resources: Seamus O'Reagan, Canadian Heritage: Steven Guilbeault, Indigenous Services: Marc Miller, Transport: Marc Garneau, Public Safety: Bill Blair, Justice/Attorney General: David Lametti, Treasury Board President: Jean-Yves Duclos, Gov't House Leader: Pablo Rodriguez, Fisheries, Oceans, and Coast Guard: Bernadette Jordan.

[FULL STORY HERE and HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: Newly Re-Elected Trudeau Will Announce Gender-Balanced Cabinet Nov. 20

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had ruled out a governing coalition and said his minority government's new cabinet will have gender balance when it's sworn in on Nov. 20.

Trudeau says he will work with other parties, including the Bloc Québécois, to advance shared goals. In the coming weeks, Trudeau said, he plans to sit down with each of the party leaders to discuss their priorities and how they can work together.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: PM Trudeau Hit With Questions Over Why He Quit Teaching

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The Conservative Party of Canada sent out a press release questioning why Liberal Leader and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gave different reasons for why he abruptly left his teaching job at a private school mid-school year in 2001.

“After media reports revealed that Justin Trudeau wore blackface during an event at West Point Grey Academy, Canadians have been asking why exactly Justin Trudeau left his teaching job at the school," the release starts.

The release hints at, but does not mention,  unsubstantiatedrumors online that there is a scandal behind his departure and that a Canadian paper received an injunction preventing it from publishing details of this scandal.

Trudeau has publicly addressed his departure from the school by saying that he simply moved on with his life, contradicting an earlier account in which he stated that he was asked to leave the school after encouraging a student to write an essay criticizing the school's dress code, which didn't sit well with school administrators.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: Treasury Head Resigns From Trudeau Cabinet, "Loss Of Confidence" In PM

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Treasury Board President Jane Philpott has resigned from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau‘s cabinet over his handling of the SNC-Lavalin affair.

The Liberal MP was just named to the post of president of the Treasury Board in January, during the same cabinet shuffle that removed Jody Wilson-Raybould from the post of attorney general.

Her decision marks a stunning blow to the government as it is fighting to pivot from the controversy to promoting its carbon tax promises while the House of Commons is on a two-week break.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: Conservatives Call On Trudeau To Resign After Former AG Says He Pressured Her In Criminal Case

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The leader of the Conservative Party opposition, Andrew Scheer, has called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to resign after his former attorney general said Trudeau pressured her to make a deal in a criminal case.

Former Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould said there were repeated attempts by Trudeau and his office to pressure her to help “find a solution” for SNC-Lavalin, a Montreal-based engineering company facing criminal prosecution. She described calls, meetings, emails and texts from several government offices - including Trudeau’s chief of staff - even after a decision had been made not to offer the company a deferred prosecution agreement.  Scheer said her testimony proves that Trudeau has "lost his authority to govern."

Trudeau rejects her characterization of events, saying he and his office always acted appropriately and professionally. He declined to resign, citing upcoming elections.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: Ethnically Chinese Candidate Drops Out Of Special Election After Singling Out Indian Opponent's Race

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Liberal Party candidate Karen Wang has pulled out of a special election race in Burnaby South, a riding southeast of Vancouver, British Columbia, after it was revealed she used her ethnicity to try to win voters. Wang, a daycare operator, sparked controversy after posting a message on the social messaging app WeChat that urged voters to support her as the only candidate of Chinese origin and singled out NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, who is also running in the riding election next month, as being "of Indian origin."

On Wednesday, she asked her party to reconsider her resignation, saying she's "not a racist," but party leaders reportedly refused.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: Member Of Parliament Absent Since September Will Resign In January

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Liberal MP Nicola Di Iorio, who has has not been seen in Parliament since the House resumed sitting Sept. 17, has announced for the second time that he's resigning. Di Iorio told CBC News his resignation will take effect January 2019.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: Liberals, Parti Quebecois Humiliated In Quebec Election As Third Party Sweeps To Power

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In a historic election that marked a departure from Quebec’s longstanding debate over independence, the center-right Coalition Avenir Québec ("Coalition for Quebec's Future") swept to power for the first time in the province as the incumbent Liberals had their worst showing in decades and the pro-independence Parti Québécois were all but decimated. CAQ led or were elected in 74 ridings, easily outstripping the 63 needed to form a majority, with 38 per cent of the popular vote. The CAQ, launched in 2011 by leader François Legault, who will now become Quebec’s next premier

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.