'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
Trudeau and Harris? Poilievre and Trump? Here's who Canadians think would work best with: survey
As Americans prepare to elect their next president on Tuesday, new data from the Angus Reid Institute suggests Canadians hold differing views as to which federal party leaders would be best suited to deal with either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris.
B.C. port employers launch lockout at terminals in labour dispute with workers
Employers at British Columbia ports say they are going ahead with locking out more than 700 foremen across the province after strike activities from union members began.
Months after VRBO booking, Taylor Swift fan told home 'not available' during Vancouver concert
A frustrated Taylor Swift fan is speaking out after being pushed from a short-term rental she booked for the upcoming Vancouver leg of the superstar’s Eras Tour.
Felonies, assassination attempts and a last-minute change on the ticket leads voters to Tuesday's U.S. election
A campaign that has careened through a felony trial, incumbent being pushed off the ticket and assassination attempts comes down to Election Day on Tuesday.
Measles cases in New Brunswick more than double in three days
A measles outbreak declared in New Brunswick’s Zone 3 last week, which includes Fredericton and the upper Saint John River Valley, has more than doubled since last week.
Prison sentences handed down for sexually abusive London, Ont. parents
In handing down the sentences for two London parents, Justice Thomas Heeney told the court, "The facts of this case were the most egregious that I have encountered during my 26 years on the bench."
She was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes about a year ago. Here's how her condition was reversed
A year ago, Lorraine O'Quinn was coping with stress, chronic illness and Type 2 diabetes. Then she discovered a health program that she says changed her life.
Surprise swing state? Iowa poll has Harris suddenly leading
Based on victories in the past two elections and polls leading up to Tuesday’s election, Donald Trump had seemed almost certain to win Iowa, but a new poll has Kamala Harris with a sudden three-point lead.
Russia suspected of sending incendiary devices on US- and Canada-bound planes, Wall Street Journal reports
Incendiary devices that ignited in Germany and the United Kingdom in July were part of a covert Russian operation that aimed to start fires aboard cargo and passenger flights heading to the U.S. and Canada, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported Monday, citing Western security officials.
Local Spotlight
10K hand-knit poppies displayed at the Dartmouth Cenotaph
Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.
'I put my whole life on hold': B.C. man embarks on Arctic to Antarctica trek
A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.
Windsor teen's shredded pepperoni pizza post goes viral
A Windsor teen’s social media post showing off a distinctive Windsor pizza topping has gone viral, drawing millions of views worldwide and sparking new curiosity about Windsor-style pizza.
'You look like me': 7-year-old who went viral for his Auston Matthews Halloween costume meets Leafs star
Auston Matthews has come face to face with his look-alike. On Thursday, the Maple Leafs star met seven-year-old Grayson Joseph, who went viral for dressing up as an Auston Matthews hockey card.
'You never know what you're going to find': Halifax junk remover shares some of his company's strangest discoveries
A Halifax junk remover shares some of his company’s strangest discoveries.
'Smiles per gallon': B.C. man creates Canadian-themed art car with stuffed moose on roof
When Leah arrived at work directing traffic around a construction site, she never expected to see a van painted in all sorts of bright colours, and covered in eclectic decorations, including a stuffed moose attached to its roof.
Guelph, Ont. charitable bike repairs halted due to bylaw complaint
After 14 years of repairing and selling bicycles out of the garage of her home, a Guelph, Ont. woman’s efforts have ended – for now, at least.
More than 20,000 goldfish removed from Edmonton stormwater pond
Epcor says it has removed more than 20,000 goldfish from an Edmonton stormwater pond.
Witches and warlocks take to the water across New Brunswick
Witches and warlocks have been flocking to New Brunswick waterways this month, as a new Halloween tradition ripples across the province.