Ottawa

This is the week that was

The last seven days in 30 links

Thomas Mulcair tabled a private member’s bill to strengthen the PBO and the NDP leader talked to Peter Mansbridge. Marc Garneau challenged Justin Trudeau to a debate. Diane Finley’s quota denial was complicated. The Harper government put a price on carbon, but its spending remained a mystery as more cuts came to light. Scott Clark and Peter DeVries dismissed the estimates. Pamela Wallin paid the Senate back. Dennis Patterson went for a brisk walk. Bob Rae once wanted the Senate abolished. The Conservatives declined to move forward with their own Senate reform legislation. The Prime Minister suddenly decided he needed the opposition’s permission to do so. And the constitutional requirement of residency apparently amounted to a pinky swear.

The House agreed to create a committee to study violence against aboriginal women, amendments to the transgendered rights bills were tabled and the Clarity Act was debated. Tony Clement tried to explain the government’s advertising spending. The Conservatives used the policy analysis of the CMHC to criticize the NDP. NDP MP Claude Patry defected to the Bloc Quebecois. Kevin Page quibbled with the government’s shipbuilding estimates. Bruce Hyer endorsed Joyce Murray. Justin Trudeau opposed the inauthentic. Brad Trost proposed committee reform. And the new 338-seat reality continued to take shape.

Paul Wells considered Claude Patry and I considered floor crossing. And Luiza Savage reviewed the latest Keystone XL assessment.

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