By Andrew Thomson | UPDATED 5:33pmET
In the House
Watch today's question period, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau fielding all queries in the chamber as per usual on Wednesdays:
Trudeau also has a private audience scheduled this afternoon with the Prince of Wales at Rideau Hall.
Here's what Trudeau and others on Parliament Hill were saying this morning as the caucuses held their weekly meetings.
The prime minister on new inflation numbers and Quebec Liberal MPs protesting against Bill 96:
"We continue to look for ways to support families without adding to the inflationary pressures in the economy," PM Justin Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa when asked about high inflation. Statistics Canada's latest report indicates inflation rate hit a 31-year high.#cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/fR6I1mWKga
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) May 18, 2022
« Nous allons toujours être là pour protégez les minorités à travers le pays », déclare le PM Justin Trudeau lorsque les journalistes lui demande à l'entrée du caucus libéral de commenter la présence d'élus libéraux à la manifestation du week-end sur la loi 96.#polcan pic.twitter.com/0Hcps9x2hW
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) May 18, 2022
Conservatives on the vow by leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre to fire Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem:
“The independence of one of our key monetary institutions is critical, and I would be very careful about tampering with that institution,” says Conservative MP Ed Fast as he responds to leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre's vow to fire the Bank of Canada governor.#cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/N4N1hMlp7W
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) May 18, 2022
À son arrivée à la réunion du caucus de son parti, le député conservateur Gérard Deltell commente les prises de position sur la Banque du Canada du candidat à la direction du PCC Pierre Poilievre. «Faut être prudent quand on attaque directement les institutions.» #polcan pic.twitter.com/gVKKM4haWW
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) May 18, 2022
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh:
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet
Also in the House of Commons:
- Second-reading debate continues on Bill C-14, which would ensure no province loses any seats during the coming redistribution process for the House. Alberta is currently slated to receive three new seats when the map is redrawn based on new census numbers. B.C. and Ontario receive one seat each, while Quebec would lose a seat if the Elections Canada plan proceeds unchanged.
- MPs vote on yesterday's NDP motion calling for an end to federal subsidies and support for the oil and gas sector. They also have a number of second-reading votes on private member's bills: C-234, S-206, S-223, and C-232.
- Another Senate bill arrives in the lower chamber for debate: S-211 would require certain companies to certify that their global supply chains are free of child labour or forced labour.
In Committee
Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson goes before the Standing Committee on Natural Resources as part of the estimates process. 3:30pm ET / 12:30pm PT
CRTC chair and CEO Ian Scott faces questions at the heritage committee. 3:30pm ET / 12:30pm PT
Infectious disease experts brief the Standing Committee on Health on COVID-19. 3:30pm ET / 12:30pm PT
The Canadian Red Cross and a senior Yukon government official discuss domestic military deployments with members of the defence committee. 3:30pm ET / 12:30pm PT
Also:
The Senate legal affairs committee hears testimony on the budget implementation bill, which includes a ban on "wilfully promoting antisemitism by condoning, denying or downplaying the Holocaust" beyond private conversation.
Organizations appearing include B'nai Brith Canada, the Canadian Anti-Hate Network, Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, Canadian Civil Liberties Association, Canadian Constitution Foundation, and the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms. 12pm ET / 9am PT
Today in Politics Podcast: Mark Sutcliffe and Dan Leger
Conservative leadership candidates continue to attack each other over their responses to the shooting in Buffalo. The prime minister reinforces Canada’s support for Finland and Sweden joining NATO. And calls for a royal apology over residential schools as the Prince of Wales visits Canada.
