Time to get serious about ‘silly’ season
After a six-sitting-day respite from the Hill, MPs have returned for the final House of Commons push before the summer adjournment. This scheduled five-week run at the end of the spring sitting is a dicey proposition in any session of Parliament, but prospects are particularly fraught this time around given it’s the latter days of […]
House to pilot pay-per-use electric vehicle charging for MPs, staff
The House has 21 electric vehicle charging stations on the Hill that MPs and staff currently use free of charge, with costs covered by Public Services and Procurement Canada.
Senate amends rules for regional offices, spares East Block cafeteria
The East Block cafeteria has survived the chopping block—at least for now—after Senators recently weighed closing it, and replacing it with a vending machine.
MP, House officer spending tops $132.2-million in first three quarters of 2023-24
In terms of MP office expenses, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh was the highest-spender during the first three quarters of 2023-24, having spent almost all of his $535,640 budget.
BOIE approves more Centre Block design decisions related to accessibility, lobbies, and more
Among the proposals given the go-ahead by the BOIE on Feb. 15 was a pitch to create a space for centralized simultaneous interpretation for the precinct.
Former Parliamentarians Association vows to keep lobbying for funding boost after Tories sink appeal
CAFP president and former Liberal MP Matt DeCourcey says he’s ‘disappointed, but not dissuaded’ by the lack of unanimous consent at the BOIE for a funding increase.
Plug pulled on some virtual committee witnesses due to headset rules, prompting call for more consistency
Last year, to comply with a Labour Program ruling, the Translation Bureau mandated the use of approved microphone headsets in order for virtual participants to receive interpretation services.
OGGO takes centre stage as top committee arena for uncovering ‘scandals’ and ‘bombshells’
The House Government Operations and Estimates Committee’s work made headlines in 2023 for its scrutiny of government spending, including studies into the ArriveCAN app and McKinsey contracts.
Long waits on feds’ responses to written questions prompts support for Senate rule review
House rules provide for a committee review if written questions go unanswered after 45 days, and impose a four-question limit per MP, but the Senate has no such equivalent.
‘Illusion’ of Speaker’s impartiality difficult to maintain in Parliament of party loyalists, says Westminster expert Lagassé
‘We take two steps forward and five steps back’: Operation Black Vote Canada says racialized Canadians are ‘fed up’ with pattern of mistreatment and expulsion of their leaders.
