'We want things to go forward': Bloc leader hints his party 'might' help end House impasse
The leader of the Bloc Quebecois says his party "might play a role" in helping the Liberals get House of Commons business rolling again — after days of Conservative-led debate on a privilege matter — but that his assistance would come at a cost.
"We have said what we do want in order to have this Parliament get back to work normally, and it is to have the royal recommendation on C-319," Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet said Wednesday, referencing his still-unmet ultimatum to the Liberals that they ensure a pair of Bloc bills get through Parliament by Oct. 29 or risk an election before the new year.
"We are not responsible for the way other parties behave," Blanchet said ahead of his party's caucus meeting on Wednesday. “And I believe that both Liberals and Conservatives, whatever they say, are quite happy about the situation, because they seem to gain from the fact that the Parliament is not working."
"Everybody is trying to keep things the way they are and say the other party is responsible for what's happening," he continued. "We are not in that state of mind. We want things to go forward, and we might play a role in what's coming the next few days."
Since late September, the House of Commons has been mired in a battle over process, and the production of unredacted documents, which has essentially halted all government business
After House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus ruled the Liberals did not fully comply with a June order seeking materials related to misspending by a now-defunct Sustainable Development Technology Canada fund, the Conservatives advanced a privilege motion pushing for disclosure.
The Conservatives want the Liberals to hand over unredacted documents to the RCMP, arguing that until the Liberals agree to do so, they're prepared to keep running the clock to prevent the motion at hand from going to a vote.
The motion on the table calls for the extraordinary circumstances of the case to be studied at the Procedure and House Affairs Committee, with requests for key public servants and federal officials to testify. This acrimony stems from a damning auditor general report.
That motion and debate on it, per parliamentary rules, takes precedence over most other agenda items and as a result MPs have spent several days talking about the issue, preventing the government from advancing any debates on their priority legislation.
The Liberals have taken the stance that passing this paperwork on to police would set a dangerous precedent and be an "egregious" abuse of Parliament's power.
Absent debate collapsing to allow the motion to come to a vote, and end the current impasse, they will need another party to help them force the House to move on to other business.
The NDP still don't seem keen to help the Liberals bring an end to what they're labelling Conservative delay tactics.
"The ball is in the government's court," NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh told reporters ahead of question period. “They could do the right thing, move forward on accountability, and Parliament can move ahead.”
Ahead of a Liberal caucus meeting Wednesday, Government House Leader Karina Gould offered little intel on how negotiations are going with the Bloc, on either the outstanding ultimatum, or on ways to end the standoff in the Commons.
Later, Gould said that "every day we're debating privilege we’re not debating important legislation for Canadians."
Heading into Wednesday's Conservative caucus meeting, a few Tory MPs said that if the Liberals release the documents, they'll let Parliament get back to work.
"What is in these documents about this $400-million scandal that the prime minister is so afraid of?" asked Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre in question period.
"This is a typical witch-hunt from the leader of the opposition," Gould said in response. "These are files, such as personnel files, that contain private information of individuals who have nothing to do with what is going on... It is the government's view that we should send this to committee so that we can get on with the important work of this House."
Next week is a constituency week, meaning MPs will be taking a break from deliberations in Ottawa to spend time in their ridings. If the Conservative's motion doesn't come to a vote by the end of the week, the Commons could still be stuck on this debate after Thanksgiving.
IN DEPTH
Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power.
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
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.
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
Frozen waffles recalled across Canada, U.S. over Listeria concerns
A U.S.-based food manufacturer that supplies frozen waffles to major grocery chains across North America has launched a voluntary recall over concerns its products carry the potential for illness.
'You are not my king,' Indigenous Australian senator yells at visiting King Charles
An Indigenous senator told King Charles III that Australia is not his land as the royal visited Australia's parliament on Monday.
How an off-duty lifeguard found a missing 17-year-old in the ocean
It was a typical Wednesday evening for Noland Keaulana, who was fixing his truck at his grandparents’ house when he received an alert on his phone about a 17-year-old missing off the Honolulu coast.
Cubans struggle with an extended power outage and a new tropical storm
Cuba's widespread blackouts stretched into their fourth day as Hurricane Oscar crossed the island's eastern coast with winds and heavy rain.
Death toll from B.C. atmospheric river climbs as driver found dead, another presumed drowned
Mounties on Vancouver Island say one person is dead and another is presumed to have drowned after two vehicles were found submerged in a river following heavy rains that washed out roadways across British Columbia.
High grocery and rental costs plaguing Canadians, new survey finds
High grocery and rental costs are squeezing lower-income Canadians even as inflation trends downward, a new survey suggests.
LIVE @ 8 P.M. ADT New Brunswickers head to the polls to vote in provincial election
New Brunswickers will cast their votes today in what is predicted to be a tight provincial election.
'I regret leaving my cat there': Eastern Ontario cat rescue under investigation, allegations of abuse, neglect
A cat rescue southwest of Ottawa is under investigation after allegations of abuse, neglect and falsified medical records have surfaced.
Canadian detained in Sudan begins trial after suing federal government 15 years ago
After waiting 15 years, Canadian Abousfian Abdelrazik will finally get the chance to hold the federal government accountable for its alleged complicity which led to his imprisonment and torture in Sudan.
Local Spotlight
'He's a hero': Father runs into burning home and emerges with two infant children
A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.
'I am humbled': Meet the 87-year-old Ontario woman who graduated from York University
Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.
Haunted walk in Eganville, Ont. sharing donations among local charities
Looking for a scare with good intentions this Halloween season? The ghosts and ghouls of Eganville, Ont. invite families to tour the Haunted Walk at Lekbor Manor.
Preserving the history of Saskatchewan small towns is this tech company's specialty
The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that – and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.
Donated Moncton home to be transformed into cancer resource hub
A Moncton, N.B., home has been donated to the Friends of The Moncton Hospital Foundation and will be transformed into a resource hub for people living with cancer.
The 'Fellow in Yellow' stops in southwestern Ontario during run across Canada
A Nova Scotia man crossing Canada on foot is passing through southwestern Ontario. Trevor Redmond is perhaps better known as the ‘Fellow in Yellow.’
$5 waffles, $7 eggs benny: Victoria diner revives menu from 1989
John Cantin vividly remembers opening day for his Victoria diner. Stress levels were high, tables were full, and one of the most popular menu items couldn’t be freed from the unyielding grip of the waffle maker.
'The risk is real': Book on Manitoba mushrooms suspected to be written by AI
A Manitoba professor is warning the public after a book on regional mushrooms that he suspects is AI-generated was delisted from Amazon.
'Vindictive and malicious': B.C. court weighs in on long-running neighbour dispute
A B.C. judge has issued a decision in a years-long dispute between neighbours that began with a noise complaint over barking dogs, crowing roosters and quacking ducks – awarding $15,000 in damages to the plaintiffs in the case.