Top news
- On Monday the Prime Minister informed the House of Commons that “Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the Government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen.” The Prime Minister urged India to cooperated with the investigation. The Indian government responded with a statement: “We have seen and reject the statement of the Canadian Prime Minister in their Parliament, as also the statement by their Foreign Minister. Allegations of Government of India’s involvement in any act of violence in Canada are absurd and motivated.”
- After meeting with the CEO of Canada’s five largest grocery chains Minister Champagne released a statement announcing the grocers had agreed to work with the government to stabilize prices. He has asked the grocers to each submit a plan by Thanksgiving or face the risk of unilateral action by the federal government. The Minister plans to also hold a similar meeting with major food manufacturers to ask them to also work on the effort to stabilize prices.
- With the return of the Parliament this week the government followed through with the introduction of legislation on housing and grocery affordability issues the Prime Minister promised last week. The Conservative and NDP leaders also tabled affordability-related legislation of their own, with Pierre Poilievre offering his own housing plan while Jagmeet Singh proposed changes to the Competition Act to generate more competition among grocers.
- Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is visiting Canada with stops in Ottawa and Toronto. This afternoon he addressed the Canadian Parliament where he thanked Canada for its support for Ukraine in the fight against Putin’s invasion. Prime Minister Trudeau announced in his meeting with the President that Canada will provide an additional $650 million in support.
- During his visiting to New York for the UN General Assembly meetings Prime Minister Trudeau addressed the Security Council where he condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He also announced $125 million in contributions to project to to support the 2030 SDG Agenda and $168 million to help with international efforts on climate adaption.
Government announcements
- Minister Champagne released a summary report of the government’s consultations on the Competition Act. Some of the recommendations submitted in the consultations have been incorporated in the changes to the Bill C-56 introduced this week.
- Minister O’Regan released a summary of the government’s consultations on the proposal to ban replacement workers in federally regulated workplaces. The Minister indicated he plans to introduce legislation to implement a ban this Fall.
- The federal government signed two memorandums of cooperation with Japan during the Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry visit to Canada week. The agreements committed the two nations to working together on Battery Supply Chains and Science and Technology.
- Minister Guilbeault announced Canada intends to put in place a more ambitious goal that would see methane emissions reduced by 75% of 2012 levels by 2030. The draft regulations will be published later this Fall.
- Minister Boissonnault announced the distribution of $111.4 Million in funding from the Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program. The funding is supporting projects that will provide training and career assistance to workers looking to join the green economy.
- Minister Ien opened a call for proposals for the Women’s Economic and Leadership Opportunities Fund and Women’s Capacity Fund. The call is for proposals from organizations that work to advance women’s equality.
Parliament this week
- Bill C-48: The legislation to reform Canada’s bail system was fast-tracked and passed at all stages in the House this week after MPs unanimously agreed to advance the bill which is now under consideration in the Senate at committee stage.
- Bill C-56: The Affordable Housing and Groceries Act which implements the removal of the GST on apartment rental construction, changes to the Competition Act, and CEBA extension was introduced in the House.
- Bill C-356: Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre tabled the Building Homes Not Bureaucracy Act, a PMB which would implement his housing proposals such as requiring cities to increase the number of homes build by 15% each year.
- Bill C-352: NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh tabled this PMB which would amend the Competition Act to strengthen the penalties for anti-competitive acts and broaden the power of the Competition Bureau to reject mergers which he said will help with grocery prices.
- Bill C-318: MP Rosemarie Falk’s PMB to expand EI parental benefits for adoptive parents passed 2nd reading in the House.
Economic numbers of the week
- 4.0%: Canada’s inflation rate rose to 4.0% in August up from 3.3% in July as higher energy prices last month pushed the overall rate up.
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