Articles by Joan Bryden, The Canadian Press

Jan 27 2022 — Joan Bryden, The Canadian Press — The Canadian Press — OTTAWA — Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne says the pending takeover of a Canadian lithium mining company by a Chinese state-owned company was subjected to a thorough national security review — contrary to what some experts and Conservative politicians have asserted. Champagne told the Commons industry committee Thursday that the critics don't understand the process required […]

Jan 25 2022 — Joan Bryden, The Canadian Press — The Canadian Press — OTTAWA — Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino is calling on Twitter to remove a tweet from an Ontario politician who labelled federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra a "terrorist." Mendicino said Tuesday the tweet from Independent MPP Randy Hillier is "Islamophobic" and amounts to "hate speech" that should have no place on Twitter. Mendicino was responding […]

Jan 20 2022 — Joan Bryden, The Canadian Press — The Canadian Press — OTTAWA — The pending takeover of a Canadian lithium mining company by a Chinese state-owned company raises no national security concerns, federal Liberals argued Thursday. Liberal MP Andy Fillmore, parliamentary secretary to Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne, told a House of Commons committee that the Industry Department reviewed last fall the proposed takeover of Neo Lithium […]

Jan 19 2022 — Joan Bryden, The Canadian Press — The Canadian Press — OTTAWA — The federal Liberal government appears to be in no hurry to complete a legally required parliamentary review of Canada's law on medical assistance in dying, which is already 18 months overdue. Repeated delays have led some critics to conclude that the government would rather wait for court rulings to force its hand, rather […]

Jan 18 2022 — Joan Bryden, The Canadian Press — The Canadian Press — OTTAWA — Government House leader Mark Holland is urging the Conservatives to reconsider their rejection of a compromise proposal that would allow MPs to finally see unredacted documents related to the firing of two scientists at Canada's highest-security laboratory. In a letter Tuesday to his Conservative counterpart, Gerard Deltell, Holland reiterates his proposal to allow […]

Dec 23 2021 — Joan Bryden, The Canadian Press — The Canadian Press — OTTAWA — Another year, another crisis. For Justin Trudeau, it's become something of a routine. Of his six years as prime minister, only one — his first — has been what might be considered a normal year of governing, with the usual ups and downs. His first mandate was upended in the second year by […]

Dec 21 2021 — Joan Bryden, The Canadian Press — The Canadian Press — OTTAWA — Erin O'Toole is refusing to name Conservative members to the national security and intelligence committee of parliamentarians. The Conservative leader pulled his party's MPs from the committee last spring to protest the Liberal government's refusal to hand over unredacted documents related to the firing of two scientists from Canada's highest security laboratory. In […]

Dec 20 2021 — Joan Bryden, The Canadian Press — The Canadian Press — OTTAWA — Anthony Rota didn't relish being the first Speaker in more than a century to publicly rebuke a veteran civil servant for doing what he believed was his legally required duty. But as Speaker of the House of Commons, it fell to Rota to do the bidding of the combined opposition parties last June […]

Dec 17 2021 — Joan Bryden, The Canadian Press — The Canadian Press — OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shares his late father's disdain for the constitutional "notwithstanding clause" and he's not ruling out asking the Supreme Court to weigh in on Quebec's pre-emptive use of it to trample the rights of religious minorities. In a year-end interview with the Ottawa bureau of The Canadian Press,   Trudeau said […]

Dec 13 2021 — Joan Bryden, The Canadian Press — The Canadian Press — OTTAWA — Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan says the government is open to amending legislation that would provide 10 days of paid sick leave for federally regulated workers. O'Regan acknowledges that at least two provisions in Bill C-3 could undermine the objective, which is to ensure ill workers don't have to choose between going to work […]

Dec 10 2021 — Joan Bryden, The Canadian Press — The Canadian Press — OTTAWA — It's one down and two to go with only a week left for the federal Liberal government to win parliamentary approval of priority legislation before an extended Christmas break. The government has managed to win approval for one of three bills it wants to be passed before Parliament takes a six-week holiday break […]

Dec 9 2021 — Joan Bryden, The Canadian Press — The Canadian Press — OTTAWA — The federal government plans to reintroduce a bill in the House of Commons identical to one already passed unanimously by the Senate to legally recognize the evolution of the upper house into a more independent, non-partisan chamber. It has given notice of a bill to be introduced as early as Friday after Commons […]

Dec 9 2021 — Joan Bryden, The Canadian Press — The Canadian Press — OTTAWA — The Conservatives have lost their bid to resurrect a House of Commons order demanding the release of secret documents related to the firing of two scientists at Canada's highest security laboratory. Commons Speaker Anthony Rota ruled Thursday that the order expired, along with all other business before the House, when Parliament was dissolved […]

Dec 8 2021 — Joan Bryden, The Canadian Press — The Canadian Press — OTTAWA — The Conservatives have rejected a proposed compromise to resolve a long-running dispute over the disclosure of secret documents related to the firing of two scientists at Canada's highest security laboratory. Conservative House leader Gerard Deltell said Wednesday the government's proposal is "months late." He pointed out that in the previous parliamentary session the […]

Dec 7 2021 — Joan Bryden, The Canadian Press — The Canadian Press — OTTAWA — The Senate gave speedy approval Tuesday to legislation banning conversion therapy in Canada. After minimal debate, senators agreed to fast-track Bill C-4 through all stages of the legislative process and deem it passed. The move was proposed by the interim leader of the Conservative Senate caucus, Sen. Leo Housakos. It followed a similar […]