After spending the weekend off the public radar, Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to start the week by hosting a “working lunch” — and, later, a tête-à-tête —with his visiting Luxembourg counterpart, Luc Frieden, during which the pair will “discuss areas to strengthen the Canada-Luxembourg partnership across key sectors, including in advanced manufacturing, infrastructure, aerospace, space and related technologies, and financial services,” according to the advisory sent out by Carney’s office last week.
“Luxembourg is a major financial hub, a NATO Ally, and one of the largest sources of foreign direct investment in Canada,” it notes. (12:45 p.m.)
At the top of the government’s legislative to-do list today: Crown – Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty’s proposal to appoint a Commissioner for Modern Treaty Implementation, a position that, as per the draft preamble, would provide “an independent, credible, effective and sustainable oversight mechanism to hold the Government of Canada accountable to Parliament for its actions.”
Shortly before MPs turn their attention back to the bill — which was initially presented to the House of Commons in September, but has only clocked in two days of preliminary debate to date — members of the Land Claims Agreement Coalition will hold a press conference to highlight their call for “all political parties (to) work together to bring second reading to a close and see (the bill) referred to committee and passed without delay.” (11 a.m.)
Outside the chamber, Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet joins his caucus colleagues Andréanne Larouche and Claude DeBellefeuille to highlight DeBellefeuille’s backbench call to boost the Old Age Security benefits for all seniors, which will be formally tabled in the House of Commons this morning. (11 a.m.)
Later this afternoon, MPs will vote on a Bloc Québécois-initiated motion calling on the government to “apologize to those whose land was expropriated in Mirabel (and) acknowledge the collective trauma these expropriations caused for thousands of Quebeckers who were forced to abandon their homes, their communities and their livelihoods,” as well as “urge the government not to undertake such expropriations again without public consultation, social licence and appropriate compensation.”
Meanwhile, as previewed in What We’re Watching, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne’s 641-page pitch to roll out measures announced in his inaugural budget last fall is still working its way through the committees tasked with going through the fine print, including FINANCE, where MPs have scheduled back-to-back sessions with Canadian Identity Minister Marc Miller (3:30 p.m.) and Justice Minister Sean Fraser (5:45 p.m.).
Elsewhere on the committee circuit: Industry Minister Minister Mélanie Joly is booked in for an afternoon appearance before INDUSTRY AND TECHNOLOGY members as they go through their House-assigned section of the budget this afternoon. (3:30 p.m.)
Also on the radar: After striking a cross-party deal to conduct a lightning-round review of the government’s bid to overhaul the current bail and sentencing rules — which, after clocking in just three days at committee, is now on track to be reported back to the House of Commons this week — JUSTICE AND HUMAN RIGHTS members are set to circle back to a far more contentious proposal — namely, Justice Minister Sean Fraser’s plan to expand the current anti-hate laws, which was the main target of a prolonged Conservative-led filibuster that effectively blocked the bill from proceeding through clause-by-clause review last fall. (11 a.m.)
ON AND AROUND THE HILL
Canadian Health Coalition chair Jason MacLean teams up with the heads of Friends of Medicare Alberta, Ontario Health Coalition and others to provide a preview of what the advisory is billing as a “historic lobby in defence of public universal health care” as the “biggest ever group of public health defenders” descends on Parliament Hill to “(call) on political leaders to strengthen health care using the Canada Health Act and the Pharmacare Act (in) the face of growing privatization and Americanization of our health care system.” (10:30 a.m.)
OUTSIDE THE PRECINCT
Champagne starts the week in Shawinigan, Que., where, according to his office, he “will participate in a ceremony to mark the opening of a new federal building.” (8:45 a.m.)
Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon — whose portfolio, it’s worth noting, also includes FedDev Ontario — heads to Bradford, Ont., to highlight his government’s latest bid to boost “automotive manufacturing in southern Ontario.” (9:45 a.m.)
Women and Gender Equality Minister Rechie Valdez joins local Liberal MP, Leslie Church, at the Toronto headquarters of the Canadian Women’s Foundation to share the details of a fresh tranche of federal funding that, as per the advisory, will “support (the) sustainability of national women’s organizations across Canada.” (9:15 a.m.)
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