CCA Bulletin 16/08
May 22, 2008
“Spring Cleaning” Parliamentary Update
The CCA provides periodic information on matters related to the federal government and Parliament. This update is intended to provide a quick overview of some recent developments. The links contained in each text will provide a more detailed understanding for those who are interested. This format will be repeated from time to time. Your comments are always welcome!
Copyright Legislation Soon?
Ottawa is awash in rumours that the Minister of Industry, the Honourable Jim Prentice is about to table the long-awaited legislation to amend the Copyright Act. The battle lines are drawn between those who see the need to emulate the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of the United States and others who are seeking a much more flexible approach to copyright reform.
If the legislation is tabled soon, it is not expected to progress quickly. The House rises for the summer break in June and it is also rumoured that the Prime Minister is considering proroguing the current session of Parliament in the Fall. When the House is prorogued, all bills automatically die on the Order Paper. However, the Government can decide to continue with legislation left over from the previous session without being formally re-introduced.
The CCA will continue to monitor this important legislation.
C-10 – Senate Nears Completion of Review
As the Senate Committee on Banking, Commerce and International Trade nears completion of its extensive review of C-10, the rhetoric continues to come from all sides.
Minister of Finance, Hon. James Flaherty has declared that if the Senate does not pass the legislation unamended, this will constitute a vote of non-confidence in the Government, triggering a federal election. Experts dismiss this claim saying that C-10 is not a money bill but is a revision of the Income Tax Act which is not a matter of confidence. The simple reality is that the Government can declare any piece of legislation as a matter of confidence if it so desires, but until now it hasn’t been the case with C-10, beyond the Minister’s musings.
Senators such as the Honourable.Tommy Banks have spoken out on the matter and it is almost certain the Liberal-dominated Senate Committee will seek amendments to the Bill before sending it back to the House of Commons. The matter has also inspired Liberal Leader, the Honourable Stéphane Dion, to issue a declaration of principle which will likely constitute part of the next Liberal election platform.
The CCA will continue to monitor this issue closely and share with you any new information as it develops.
Supplementary Estimates (A) 2008-09 Released
The President of the Treasury Board, the Honourable Vic Toews, has tabled the Supplementary Estimates A for the financial year 2008-2009. The Supplementary Estimates are designed to reflect changes or clarifications to the Main Estimates which were released following the 2008-09 federal budget.
Supplementary Estimates allow for parliamentary committees to undertake detailed examinations of the finances of government departments and agencies. Often governments have used Supplementary Estimates to make substantive changes to the financial reference levels of departments and agencies.
The current government had pledged to take a more disciplined approach to the Supplementary Estimates reflecting only those changes that were not available for inclusion in the Main Estimates.
A quick review of the Supplementary Estimates A indicates that the government has honoured this commitment. No changes in references levels are included for the Department of Canadian Heritage or its portfolio agencies such as the CBC or the Canada Council for the Arts.
A more detailed analysis of the Supplementary Estimates will be included in the CCA Annual Analysis of the 2008-2009 federal budget which will be published in the coming weeks.
Report of Task Force on the Canadian Museum for Human Rights
On March 31, 2008, the Task Force on the Canadian Museum for Human Rights delivered its report to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, the Honourable Josée Verner.
The Task Force was created to provide advice to the Minister on:
(A) the planning of a Canadian Museum for Human Rights;
(B) the scope and content of the proposed Museum; and
(C) in light of the advice on scope and content and of the overall budgetary envelope for the Museum, the suitability of the building design for the Museum.”
The Task Force was chaired by Arni Thorsteinson and included Gail Asper; Bill Barkley (a museum planner) the Hon. Benoît Bouchard (former Cabinet Minister and Canadian Ambassador to France) the Honourable Constance R. Glube (retired Chief Justice of the Nova Scotia - Court of Appeal), Mary Gusella (a federal public servant and former chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission), Vim Kochhar (professional engineer and construction project manager), John C. Petersmeyer (architect) and Jonathan F. Vance (professor and Canada Research Chair in Conflict and Culture in the History Department of the University of Western Ontario).
The Report contains 74 recommendations that touch on almost every aspect of the new Museum. The Task Force stressed the need for autonomy of the institution, keeping it free of political interference. It also explored the concept of the Museum as one of “ideas” rather than “artifacts”, although it does not preclude the inclusion of artifacts.
The Task Force also called for substantive involvement of Aboriginal peoples in every aspect of the development and operation of the institution. The task force’s report makes highly practical recommendations which will serve the interests of the Museum and of all Canadians.
The CCA will continue to follow further developments on these and other Parliamentary matters and keep you informed through our communications tools.
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