VANCOUVER - Today was the last day of the federal Parliament's spring session, and that means a number of bills are now new laws. Not as many new laws, though, as the Conservatives wanted.
Members of the House of Commons took off last Friday after having approved the government spending estimates following an agreement between Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff.
But as is their custom, the oft-maligned Senators put in a couple extra days' work before the summer recess in order to process the pile of legislation forwarded by the House over the past few weeks.
Today, the Senate approved legislation to update the federal incorporation system for non-profit organizations and to create a new legal framework for laboratories that work with disease-causing organisms or toxins.
Yesterday, the Senate passed laws to update liability standards in marine accidents and to create new Criminal Code offences related to drive-by shootings and other violent offences associated with organized crime.
And, of course, the Senate stamped their approval on the two most essential bills, the Appropriation Acts that will keep money flowing from the federal treasury to government-funded programs and the public service over the next few months.
Other new laws passed in June include amendments to the Customs Act, the Judges Act and the Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act; an act to implement a free trade agreement with Peru; an act to increase fines and improve enforcement of offences under federal environmental legislation; and acts to implement agreements with the Maa-Nulth First Nations of B.C. and the Cree-Naskapi of Quebec (among others).
But all that was not enough for the federal Justice Minister, Rob Nicholson. On Monday, he held a press conference to berate the “Liberal-dominated Senate” for not rushing through other government bills recently passed by the House.
In particular, Nicholson highlighted Bill C-15, which would create mandatory minimum sentences for a number of drug crimes. When the bill was introduced in February, following a series of gang-related shootings in the Lower Mainland, Nicholson said it represented the government “fighting back against gangs and other organized criminal groups.”
The alleged purpose of yesterday's press conference was to urge the Senate to pass the bill before today's recess, even though the Conservative Senators who control the chamber's schedule had not brought it up for debate until this week. (The Senate received the bill from the House on June 9.)
However, as Gloria Galloway of The Globe and Mail noted in a column this morning, it was really about kicking off a new effort by the Conservatives to brand the Liberals as “soft on crime,” now that the two parties are apparently in agreement about the economy.
Who says we aren't going to have a summer election campaign?
Amelia Bellamy-Royds reports for The Tyee.
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ME2
2 years ago
Crime and criminals
Geez, I sure hope Mr Harper is serious about his getting tough on crime.
Maybe then we can expect some laws that may control - or at least define what is allowable - re gov't actions such as those quasi-legal if not illegal performances of Mr Campbells?
It seems to me that in a nation such as ous which prides itself upon law-aiding, we seem powerless to confront government when it flaunts and abuses the law right in our faces.
And maybe we might even dare to expect Mr Harper's own government to enforce its mandated laws re fish farming?
Oh well, I guess the definition of "crime" depends upon whose ox is being gored.
But keep trying, Mr Harper, maybe you'll get the right idea yet.
ME2
2 years ago
oops
ours and law-abiding - Sorry
Dan the socialist
2 years ago
Remeber the Federal Liberals
Remeber the Federal Liberals deserve equal amount of blame, criticism that is pointed at Harper and the cons.
Afterall the defacto coalition partner and sub PM Iggy and Dion before that and his liberals have kept and keep keeping Harper and his cons in power.
If 79 times is not a 'defacto' coalition, I dunno what is...
I know Paul Martin was first minority since Joe Clark but Joe Clark 9 month reign was the last time the Libs actually pulled the plug with NDP help.
The libs under Iggy, other than the socially religious bit are identical to the cons and electing the libs will not bring in change other than cosmetic change.
The only Party that offers real change is the NDP and Jack Layton.
The NDP is the only party that cares about the people, the libs and cons just care about holding onto power and getting power at all and any cost. Hopefully people wake up and see that and elect our first federal NDP government next time and it does not have to be a majority, just enough so them and the BQ can work together.