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:: PoliticsWatch Legislative Update

Guite and Pelletier return to 
Parliament Hill

[PoliticsWatch Updated 5:10 p.m. June 1, 2007]

 

OTTAWA — Remember the sponsorship scandal? 

The ad scam that helped turn a Liberal majority into a Conservative minority will be making a comeback on Wednesday when two key players appear before the Commons public accounts committee. 
  
Members of the committee will be reunited with the man who ran the sponsorship program in its heyday, Chuck Guite, and Jean Pelletier, former prime minister Jean Chretien's long-time chief of staff. 

Both men will be on the hot seat as the committee will question them about discrepancies in the testimony they gave to the committee in 2004 and testimony they later told the Gomery inquiry. 

It is believed to be the first time in the history of Parliament that a committee has investigated possible perjury. 

For Guite it will mark the third time the public accounts committee has grilled him about the sponsorship program.  

The last time in 2004, Guite's much-anticipated appearance was a media circus and the former public works bureaucrat didn't disappoint, making some memorable comments about key Liberal cabinet ministers who had earlier testified they hardly knew him. 

Media circus aside, the committee is serious about possibly making examples of the two men if they conclude they perjured themselves during their 2004 appearances. 
 
"I personally believe that we should be sending a clear message to anybody who thinks that they can say whatever they want before the public accounts committee that it will not be tolerated," Tory MP John Williams said earlier this year when the committee debated calling witnesses. 
 

The Legislative Update is posted every Friday afternoon when the House is sitting. To stay informed on all the political events read PoliticsWatch's  Morning Briefing updated at 9:30 a.m. ET Monday to Friday and the Daily Agenda updated at 6:00 p.m. ET Monday to Friday.
  
______________


The House will deal with the following next week

Government House Leader Peter Van Loan has called this week "welcome back from committee week" where the government will deal with bills that have returned from committee. The bills are: 

Bill C-52, the budget implementation bill
Bill C-35, bail reform (report stage and third reading)
Bill C-23, the Criminal Code amendments

Thursday 
Opposition day

____________________

Committee Highlights

Monday

> Commons public accounts committee continues its investigation of the RCMP pension fund scandal. 

> Tony Burman, Editor in Chief CBC News, Current Affairs and Newsworld, CBC Radio and Television, appears before the Commons heritage committee's study on the role of the public broadcaster in the 21st century. 

Tuesday

> The official languages committee hears from people affected by the government's cancellation of the court challenges program.  

Wednesday

> The man who ran the sponsorship program in its heyday, Chuck Guite, and former prime minister Jean Chretien's former chief of staff, Jean Pelletier, appear before the Public Accounts Committee's to explain discrepancies in testimony they gave to the Gomery inquiry and the committee in 2004. 


> Full Schedule


____________________

Bills the Tories have tabled in this Parliament 

C-2 An Act providing for conflict of interest rules, restrictions on election financing and measures respecting administrative transparency, oversight and accountability

Status: Royal Assent December 12

This is better known the Federal Accountability Act, which a number of new measures and a massive list of amendments to current laws aimed at cleaning up government. The bill is the government's No. 1 priority.

C-3 An Act respecting international bridges and tunnels and making a consequential amendment to another Act

Status: Royal Assent February 1, 2007

C-4 An Act to amend An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act and the Income Tax Act

Status: Royal Assent May 11

C-5 An Act respecting the establishment of the Public Health Agency of Canada and amending certain Acts

Status: Royal Assent December 12

C-6 An Act to amend the Aeronautics Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts

Status: Referred to transport committee November 7

C-7 An Act to amend the National Defence Act

Status: Introduced April 27

C-8 An Act for granting to Her Majesty certain sums of money for the public service of Canada for the financial year ending March 31, 2007

Status: Royal Assent May 11, 2006

C-9 An Act to amend the Criminal Code (conditional sentence of imprisonment)

Status: Royal Assent  May 31, 2007

C-10 An Act to amend the Criminal Code (minimum penalties for offences involving firearms) and to make a consequential amendment to another Act

Status: Passed in the House May 29, 2007

C-11 An Act to amend the Canada Transportation Act and the Railway Safety Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts

Status: Passed in the Senate with amendments May 31, 2007

C-12 An Act to provide for emergency management and to amend and repeal certain Acts

Status: Passed in the House December 11

C-13 An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on May 2, 2006

Status: Royal Assent June 22

This is the budget implementation bill. The bill was accidentally given unanimous consent in the House on third reading when none of the opposition parties objected after confusion over who would speak to the bill.

C-14 An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (adoption)

Status: Referred to citizenship and immigration committee June 13

This bill makes it easier for parents to obtain citizenship for children they adopt from overseas.

C-15 An Act to amend the Agricultural Marketing Programs Act

Status: Royal Assent June 22

C-16 An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act

Status: Royal Assent May 3, 2007

C-17 An Act to amend the Judges Act and certain other Acts in relation to courts

Status: Royal Assent December 14

This bill sets salaries for federally-appointed judges at a lower rate than that recommended by an independent panel. The panel wanted 10.8 per cent increase plus cost of living. The government is offering 7.25 per cent in the bill plus cost of living.

C-18 An Act to amend certain Acts in relation to DNA identification

Status: Passed in the House March 28, 2007

C-19 An Act to amend the Criminal Code (street racing) and to make a consequential amendment to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act

Status: Royal Assent December 14

This bill toughens punitive measures against convicted street racers. 

C-20 An Act respecting airports, airport authorities and other airport operators and amending the Transportation Appeal Tribunal of Canada Act

Status: Introduced June 15

C-21 An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Firearms Act (non-registration of firearms that are neither prohibited nor restricted)

Status: Introduced June 19

This bill we effectively kill the long-arm registry.

C-22 An Act to amend the Criminal Code (age of protection) and to make consequential amendments to the Criminal Records Act

Status: Passed in the House May 4, 2007

C-23 An Act to amend the Criminal Code (criminal procedure, language of the accused, sentencing and other amendments)

Status: Referred to the Justice committee October 16

C-24 An Act to impose a charge on the export of certain softwood lumber products to the United States and a charge on refunds of certain duty deposits paid to the United States, to authorize certain payments, to amend the Export and Import Permits Act and to amend other Acts as a consequence

Status:
Royal Assent December 14

This is the implementation legislation for the softwood lumber deal with the U.S. 

C-25 An Act to amend the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act and the Income Tax Act and to make a consequential amendment to another Act

Status:
Royal Assent December 14

This bill toughens money laundering and terror financing laws and would give the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada the power to monitor money wiring and travellers cheques services. 

C-26 An Act to amend the Criminal Code (criminal interest rate)

Status:
Royal Assent, May 3, 2007


C-27 An Act to amend the Criminal Code (dangerous offenders and recognizance to keep the peace)

Status:
Sent to special legislative committee, May 4, 2007

This bill places the onus on three time sexual and violent offenders to prove to the Crown they are not deserving of dangerous offender status.

C-28 A second Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on May 2, 2006 

Status:
Royal Assent February 21, 2007


C-29 An Act to amend the Air Canada Public Participation Act 

Status:
Second Reading May 29, 2007


C-30 An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, the Energy Efficiency Act and the Motor Vehicle Fuel Consumption Standards Act (Canada's Clean Air Act) 

Status:
Returned from the special legislative committee with amendments on March 30, 2007.


C-31 An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act and the Public Service Employment Act

Status:
Passed in the House February 20, 2007

This bill will require voters to present photo ID at polling stations. 

C-32 An Act to amend the Criminal Code (impaired driving) and to make consequential amendments to other Acts

Status:
Referred to the justice committee February 6, 2007

This bill will impose penalties for those convicted of driving under the influence of drugs 

C-33 An Act to amend the Income Tax Act, including amendments in relation to foreign investment entities and non-resident trusts, and to provide for the bijural expression of the provisions of that Act 

Status:
Referred to finance committee May 14, 2007


C-34 An Act to provide for jurisdiction over education on First Nation lands in British Columbia

Status:
Royal Assent December 12


C-35 An Act to amend the Criminal Code (reverse onus in bail hearings for firearm-related offences) 

Status:
Returned from special legislative committee, May 30, 2007

This bill requires those charged with gun crimes prove why they should be granted bail before trial.

C-36 An Act to amend the Canada Pension Plan and the Old Age Security Act 

Status:
Royal Assent May 3, 2007


C-37 An Act to amend the law governing financial institutions and to provide for related and consequential matters

Status:
Royal Assent March 29, 2007

This bill, among other things, lowers the legal minimum mortgage downpayment consumers have to make on a home.

C-38 An Act for granting to Her Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the financial year ending March 31, 2007 (Appropriation Act No. 2, 2006-2007) 

Status:
Royal Assent December 12

Main estimates

C-39 An Act for granting to Her Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the financial year ending March 31, 2007 (Appropriation Act No. 3, 2006-2007)

Status:
Royal Assent December 12

Supplementary estimates

C-40 An Act to amend the Excise Tax Act, the Excise Act, 2001 and the Air Travellers Security Charge Act and to make related amendments to other Acts 

Status:
Passed in the House May 15, 2007

C-41 An Act to amend the Competition Act 

Status:
Second Reading February 27

C-42 An Act to amend the Quarantine Act 

Status:
Referred to the Health committee March 29

C-43 An Act to provide for consultations with electors on their preferences for appointments to the Senate

Status:
Second reading May 7, 2007

This bill will allow for Elections Canada to hold votes to select candidates to fill Senate vacancies in province-wide races.

C-44 An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act

Status:
Sent to aboriginal affairs committee February 21, 2007

This law will remove a controversial section of the act that provides an exemption for aboriginal Canadians. 

C-45 An Act respecting the sustainable development of Canada's seacoast and inland fisheries

Status:
Second Reading May 29, 2007

C-46 — The Minister of Labour — An Act to provide for the resumption and continuation of railway operations 

Status:
Royal Assent April 18, 2007

This bill was designed to end the labour dispute at CN Rail. 

C-47 The Minister of Industry — An Act respecting the protection of marks related to the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games and protection against certain misleading business associations and making a related amendment to the Trade-marks Act 

Status:
Referred to industry committee May 17, 2007

C-48 — The Minister of Justice — An Act to amend the Criminal Code in order to implement the United Nations Convention against Corruption 

Royal Assent May 31, 2007 

C-49 — The President of the Treasury Board — An Act for granting to Her Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the financial year ending March 31, 2007 (Appropriation Act No. 4, 2006-2007) 

Royal Assent March 29, 2007

C-50 — The President of the Treasury Board — An Act for granting to Her Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the financial year ending March 31, 2008 (Appropriation Act No. 1, 2007-2008) 

Royal Assent March 29, 2007

C-51 — The Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development — An Act to give effect to the Nunavik Inuit Land Claims Agreement and to make a consequential amendment to another Act 

Introduced March 22, 2007 

C-52 — The Minister of Finance — An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 19, 2007 

Returned from finance committee with amendments May 31, 2007 

This is the budget implementation bill. 

C-53 — The Minister of Foreign Affairs — An Act to implement the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States (ICSID Convention) 

Referred to foreign affairs committee May 15, 2007 

C-54 — The Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform — An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act (accountability with respect to loans) 

Referred to procedure and House affairs committee May 28, 2007

C-55 -- The Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform — An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act (expanded voting opportunities) and to make a consequential amendment to the Referendum Act 

Second Reading May 31, 2007


C-56 — The Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform — An Act to amend the Constitution Act, 1867 (Democratic representation) 

Introduced May 11, 2007

C-57 — The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration — An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act C-57 

Introduced May 16, 2007 

This is the so-called foreign stripper ban bill.

C-58 — The Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities — An Act to amend the Canada Transportation Act (railway transportation) 

Introduced May 30, 2007 

: Related Links

> Check out last week's legislative update

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