Senate rises for summer without passing broadcasting, conversion therapy bills
The Senate adjourned for its summer break at midnight on Tuesday, without passing two pieces of priority government legislation: a bill to stamp out the harmful practice of LGBTQ2S+ conversion therapy, and a contentious broadcast regulation update.
Despite both bills being passed by the majority of MPs and the federal Liberals pushing for the legislation to be rapidly considered, senators said the bills merit a more fulsome study in the fall.
There had been some hope that an agreement across Senate leadership would allow for summer meetings so that both the conversion therapy legislation Bill C-6, and Broadcasting Act changes in Bill C-10 could be studied by Senate committees.
However, as of midnight when senators rose or logged off from their hybrid sitting until late September: "No agreement has been reached for summer committee meetings at this time," according to Chloe Fedio, a spokesperson for Government Representative in the Senate, Sen. Marc Gold.
That means both bills are set to languish in the upper chamber, and makes their fate subject to a much-speculated late summer or early fall election call.
Any bills left in either the House or Senate will die if they have not passed when a Parliament is dissolved. They would have to be re-tabled and work their way through all legislative stages again before becoming law.
Even if committee studies were completed this summer, the entire Senate would then need to be recalled to vote on the bills. If any amendments were made, the bills would have to go back to the House, potentially kicking off a back-and-forth between the two chambers.
Bills C-6 and C-10 were among the four priority bills the Liberals passed into the Senate with the support of the Bloc Quebecois and New Democrats at the eleventh hour of the House of Commons sitting last week.
Following an extension of the Senate's sitting calendar by two days, Bill C-12, which will put into law Canada's greenhouse gas emissions targets, passed its third and final reading on Tuesday afternoon, and Bill C-30, which implements the 2021 budget commitments, including pandemic aid extensions, followed suit Tuesday night.
Both had received a "pre-study" in which senators were able to assess the legislative proposals in general, in advance. Some senators raised concerns the federal government was asking them to "rubber stamp" wide-spanning bills in a short timeframe.
MAJOR HESITATION OVER C-10
Bill C-10 passed into committee on Tuesday afternoon, putting it in the hands of the senators who make up the Senate Transport and Communications Committee to decide how to proceed.
Senators have been signalling for some time that they want to dive deeply into the contentious broadcasting bill to be able to propose amendments of their own, and rejected calls from Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault to fast-track it, setting up the expectation that it could stall out over the summer.
During debate, Senators spoke about how "imperative" it is for the Senate to hear from those who this bill will impact directly and assess for themselves the effects of the proposed legislation, with some support for the idea of sitting over the summer to accelerate that process.
However, committee chair and Conservative Sen. Michael MacDonald told CTVNews.ca on Tuesday that at this point, the earliest that the committee may try to resume study of Bill C-10 would be the week before the House is scheduled to resume in September, if an election isn't called.
"We inquired a few weeks ago, about the potential of holding some sort of an earlier study, and we weren't given the green light. So as of now, we don't have the green light," he said.
While MacDonald said as chair he will follow the will of the committee when it comes to the study, he personally has strong concerns about the freedom of expression implications of the bill. "This thing has to be stripped back and looked at," he said.
The legislation tabled by Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault is aimed at web giants and regulating Canadian content, but became embroiled in questions over free speech and the regulation of users' content, further fuelled by a series of opaque amendments that were made last-minute.
"The substance of Bill C-10 has raised many important and high-level questions, including whether and how the internet should be regulated and whether this really is the best way to do that… There is much of substance for our Senate committee to examine," said Independent Senators Group Sen. Donna Dasko during debate on Monday.
Dasko went on to add that further questions have been raised as a result of the extensive procedural wrangling surrounding this bill in the House.
"Senators, 30 meetings and over four months at committee stage might be unheard of, but I stand here today to say that this legislation still needs further study," she said.
CONSERVATIVES DENY SUMMER STUDY ON C-6
After sitting late into the night on Monday, the Senate passed Bill C-6 from second reading into the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee where it will be studied before advancing any further.
Late Tuesday night, Sen. Gold unsuccessfully sought unanimous consent to allow the committee to study the bill during the summer.
"I think it is a shame, because conversion therapy is an abhorrent practice, and it needs to be banned now," he said in a statement.
According to Justice Minister David Lametti, who is responsible for the bill, Conservative Senators denied the request despite members of that caucus expressing a desire for a study so they could suggest potential amendments.
In a tweet, Lametti said he was "disappointed" by the Conservatives in the Senate. "Canadians believe conversion therapy should be banned. Conservatives apparently disagree," he said.
While the government pushed the argument that LGBTQ2S+ folks should not be subjected one day longer to efforts to change a person's sexual orientation to heterosexual or gender identity to cisgender, the bill and its aims have faced roadblocks before, including from the government.
Speaking against the bill on Monday, and suggesting it go to committee to examine how the "issues" with the bill can be resolved, Conservative Sen. Don Plett sought to revive the main argument against the bill espoused by numerous Conservative MPs. That is, that the definition of conversion therapy within Bill C-6 casts too wide of a net and may criminalize "conversations" about gender or sexual identity.
However, as Progressive Senate Group Sen. Jane Cordy noted during her remarks in support of Bill C-6 on Monday, the legislation explicitly states that the definition of conversion therapy within the bill "does not include a practice, treatment or service that relates to the exploration and development of an integrated personal identity without favouring any particular sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression."
Facing questions about the fate of these bills with just hours left in the Senate's sitting on Tuesday, the minister whose portfolio includes Senate engagement, Dominic LeBlanc told reporters that the Liberals "recognize the obligation of the Senate to do its job." He blamed the last-minute passage of these key bills in the House of Commons on Conservative obstruction and decried the idea that Conservatives in the Senate would "frustrate the clear will of the majority of elected representative in the House of Commons and certainly the Liberal government."
Asked about the prospect of the conversion therapy bill not passing at the hands of his Senators earlier on Tuesday, Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole — who was in the minority of Conservative MPs who supported Bill C-6 — said the federal minority government's legislative mismanagement and decision not to heed Tory amendments was to blame, not obstruction from his caucus.
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
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Competition bureau finds 'substantial' anti-competitive effects with proposed Bunge-Viterra merger
The proposed merger of agricultural giants Viterra and Bunge is raising competition concerns from the federal government.
Douglas DC-4 plane with 2 people on board crashes into river outside Fairbanks, Alaska
A Douglas C-54 Skymaster airplane crashed into the Tanana River near Fairbanks on Tuesday, Alaska State Troopers said.
Local Spotlight
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
'I'm committed': Oilers fan won't cut hair until Stanley Cup comes to Edmonton
A local Oilers fan is hoping to see his team cut through the postseason, so he can cut his hair.
'It's not my father's body!' Wrong man sent home after death on family vacation in Cuba
A family from Laval, Que. is looking for answers... and their father's body. He died on vacation in Cuba and authorities sent someone else's body back to Canada.
'Once is too many times': Education assistants facing rising violence in classrooms
A former educational assistant is calling attention to the rising violence in Alberta's classrooms.
What is capital gains tax? How is it going to affect the economy and the younger generations?
The federal government says its plan to increase taxes on capital gains is aimed at wealthy Canadians to achieve “tax fairness.”
UBC football star turning heads in lead up to NFL draft
At 6'8" and 350 pounds, there is nothing typical about UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, who was born in Tonga and went to high school in Pitt Meadows.
Cat found at Pearson airport 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Molly on a mission: N.S. student collecting books about women in sport for school library
Molly Knight, a Grade 4 student in Nova Scotia, noticed her school library did not have many books on female athletes, so she started her own book drive in hopes of changing that.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.