House moving to midnight sittings as Liberals blame Conservatives for stalling agenda
It's that time of year again where MPs will be sitting until midnight until the House rises in late June, as the federal government pushes to pass as many bills as it can before the summer legislative hiatus.
On Wednesday, Government House Leader Mark Holland announced that the House of Commons will be working late "every single night … from here until the finish."
The House is scheduled to adjourn for a two-month break on June 23.
Because of a motion passed back in November allowing for the extension of House sitting hours on a day-to-day basis, MPs have been holding midnight sittings sporadically, but now MPs will be burning the midnight oil for three weeks.
Holland said this is being done to see progress on nine pieces of legislation that the Liberals must see movement on before MPs wrap up their work in Ottawa, including seeing the passage of the budget implementation bill, a handful of foreign policy-focused bills, and the online news and disability benefit bills.
Holland placed the blame for needing to keep the House running into the night each night on the Official Opposition Conservatives, who he accused of "obfuscating."
"The frustration that I've had in having the responsibility to shepherd the legislative agenda through Parliament is that the Conservatives will not tell us how many speakers they have, they will not tell us how long they want to spend with bills, so we have to effectively try to navigate the legislative session with blindfolds on," Holland said.
"The consequence now is that we have a limited amount of time… So we're sitting here every night until midnight and we're going to get the work of the nation done," Holland said. "It is totally fair to have disagreement on the content of what is in legislation, but to refuse to engage… that creates an unacceptable situation."
While Holland suggested allowing more time for these debates should help see legislation moving, he didn't rule out moving ahead with further time allocation measures to ensure these bills pass.
Commenting on Holland's accusations, his Conservative counterpart Andrew Scheer shot his own back.
"The Liberals are trying to ram through their high-spending, high-cost, high-inflation, high-interest rate, high-crime agenda through the House of Commons," said the Conservative House leader. "So, you're darn right we are taking our time to highlight those deficiencies."
"We're going to keep doing our job. We were sent here to hold this government to account, we make no apologies for that," Scheer said.
PROROGATION? 'NOT MY IDEA'
Meanwhile, rumours and speculation are afloat on the Hill over the prospect that the federal Liberals could prorogue Parliament in the weeks ahead, potentially in an attempt to take some of the political heat off of them over foreign interference, as Trudeau did in 2020 amid the WE Charity affair.
However, Liberals insisted up and down on Wednesday that prorogation is not on their minds, chalking the claims up to opposition-driven spin and insisting they remain focused on passing their legislative agenda.
"There are reasons to prorogue Parliament, they've been used in the past. I'm not aware that those conditions exist… We're in the middle of silly season, with all kinds of foolish rumors. And I put that in this category," said Liberal MP Sean Casey after Wednesday's Liberal caucus meeting. "It's never been discussed in caucus, it's never been discussed in the corridors. I don't know where it's coming from."
Prorogation is a political tool at the prime minister’s disposal that essentially shuts down the House and Senate without launching a federal election.
Sometimes used as a political reset button, all legislative work on Parliament Hill stops when a prorogation occurs. That means that any outstanding bills that have not yet become law are killed, any ongoing committee studies are halted.
While work can be reinstated with all-party support, that would only occur after the new session begins.
Justice Minister David Lametti said that while the decision around prorogation rests with the prime minister, he said it is "not my idea" and would be something he'd "definitely" be opposed to "because I've got a lot of work to do."
"I think we're all looking forward to seeing legislation pass, getting to the summer break," said Liberal MP Chris Bittle.
"It's a rumour," said Chief Government Whip Steven MacKinnon.
IN DEPTH
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
'Democracy requires constant vigilance' Trudeau testifies at inquiry into foreign election interference in Canada
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testified Wednesday before the national public inquiry into foreign interference in Canada's electoral processes, following a day of testimony from top cabinet ministers about allegations of meddling in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections. Recap all the prime minister had to say.
As Poilievre sides with Smith on trans restrictions, former Conservative candidate says he's 'playing with fire'
Siding with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her proposed restrictions on transgender youth, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre confirmed Wednesday that he is against trans and non-binary minors using puberty blockers.
Supports for passengers, farmers, artists: 7 bills from MPs and Senators to watch in 2024
When parliamentarians return to Ottawa in a few weeks to kick off the 2024 sitting, there are a few bills from MPs and senators that will be worth keeping an eye on, from a 'gutted' proposal to offer a carbon tax break to farmers, to an initiative aimed at improving Canada's DNA data bank.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air turbulence: When can it become dangerous?
Flight turbulence like that encountered by a Singapore Airlines flight on Tuesday is extremely common, but there's one aspect of severe turbulence an aviation expert says can lead to serious injury.
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton hospitalized after prison attack
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton was attacked and sustained life-threatening injuries in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a 'major assault.'
opinion Tom Mulcair: With Trudeau spiralling, Mark Carney waits in the wings
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, former NDP leader Tom Mulcair argues that if there's an unofficial frontrunner in the eventual race to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader, it has to be former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.
Toronto Blue Jays fan struck by 110 m.p.h foul ball offered tickets, signed baseball by team
The Toronto Blue Jays have offered tickets and a signed baseball to a fan who says she was struck in the face by a 110 m.p.h (177 km/h) foul ball at Friday’s game.
Orphan orca's extended family spotted off northeast side of Vancouver Island
Members of a killer whale pod related to an orphan orca calf that escaped a remote British Columbia tidal lagoon last month have been spotted off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island.
OPP continues to investigate boat collision north of Kingston, Ont. that left 3 people dead
Ontario Provincial Police continue to investigate a long weekend fatal boat collision on Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont.
Matthew Perry's death is being investigated over ketamine level found in actor's blood, reports say
An investigation has been opened into the death of Matthew Perry and how the “Friends” actor received the anesthetic ketamine, which was ruled a contributing factor in his death.
'Miscommunication' Liberals say of Speaker Fergus event invite Conservatives call partisan
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus is facing fresh Conservative-led calls to resign, this time over "very partisan" and 'inflammatory' language used – the Liberals say mistakenly – to promote an upcoming event.
'Mr. Trump doesn't worry us', says Canadian ambassador
As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continues the 'Team Canada' charm offensive to U.S. lawmakers and business leaders, Canada's ambassador to the United States downplayed the effect of another Trump presidency on Canada.
Local Spotlight
Montreal photographer captures dramatic Canada Goose vs. fox face-off
Montreal photographer captured the moment a Canada Goose defended itself from a fox at the Botanical Garden.
Beyond books: Halifax libraries lends instruments, sports equipment, memory kits and more
Public libraries in Atlantic Canada are now lending a broader range of items.
'A special bird': The unbreakable bond between purple martins and humans
Flashes of purple darting across the sky mixed with the serenading sound of songs will be noticed more with spring in full force in Manitoba.
7-year-old Pokémon prodigy heading to Hawaii for world championship tournament
Catching 'em all with impressive speed, a 7-year-old boy from Windsor, Ont. who only started his competitive Pokémon journey seven months ago has already levelled up to compete at a world championship level.
VIDEO Born without front legs, this dog has been inspiring the world for 3 years: Dresden farm owner
A sanctuary dedicated to animals with disabilities is celebrating the third birthday of one of its most popular residents.
From DVDs to rehearsals: Halifax theatre company transforms Video Difference building into arts hub
2b Theatre recently moved into the old Video Difference building, seeking to transform it into an artistic hub, meeting space, and temporary housing unit for visiting performers in Halifax.
'Another pair of eyes watching over me:' How a B.C. woman's service dog saved her from drowning
A B.C. woman says her service dog pulled her from a lake moments before she had a seizure, saving her life.
Starbucks fan on decades-long journey to visit every store in the world
A Starbucks fan — whose name is Winter — is visiting Canada on a purposeful journey that began with a random idea at one of the coffee chain's stores in Texas.
'Sacred work': Sask. First Nation learning how to conduct its own underground searches
Members of Piapot First Nation, students from the University of Winnipeg and various other professionals are learning new techniques that will hopefully be used for ground searches of potential unmarked grave sites in the future.