Today: December 8, 2021

Today: December 8, 2021

By Andrew Thomson | UPDATED 3:22pmET

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has confirmed Canada will join other countries that have already announced a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing.

Watch the full news conference with Trudeau, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, and Sport Minister Pascale St-Onge:

And watch today's question period:

The Standing Committee on Finance holds another meeting this afternoon on Bill C-2 -- the government's plan to targets pandemic assistance to hard-hit sectors and workers.

But with most other committees not yet running, the House will again sit in committee of the whole tonight to consider $13.4 billion of supplementary estimates for the 2021-22 fiscal year.

As part of last month's motion on hybrid sittings and mandatory vaccination for in-person attendance, the House agreed to refer supplementary estimates to committee of the whole this week instead of the normal process of using standing committees. 

Also on the House of Commons agenda:

  • voting on yesterday's Conservative motion calling for a special committee on Afghanistan;
  • more debate on the bill that 1) introduces 10 days of paid sick leave for federally-regulated employees, and 2) criminalizing the harassment of health care workers and patients or preventing their access to a medical facility.
  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be at question period -- where on Wednesdays he normally responds for the full 45 minutes. 

The Bloc Québécois wants Bill C-2 adjusted to 1) better support self-employed arts and culture workers, 2) confirm potential support for other sectors such as aerospace, and 3) easing the burden on seniors receiving the Guaranteed Income Supplement.

Watch Yves-François Blanchet's news conference this morning (no interpretation):