It looks like the Senate’s national security committee has decided not to amend Bill C-12 (which is a border bill that was split out of Bill C-2), and in particular left in the sections that give the immigration minister new arbitrary powers when it comes to asylum claims and immigration files that she will soon be able to cancel any application she likes. The Senate’s social affairs committee had recommended removing this section from the bill because these powers can be exercised with no procedural safeguards, but apparently, they don’t care.
Among other complains in this legislation are the timelines for when people can make a refugee claim since they’ve been in the country, which can be fraught for some claimants who have been traumatized or who are afraid that disclosing certain reasons why they are claiming (particularly in instances of domestic violence or persecution for being LGBTQ+) could mean more time, but attempts to change that timeline were shot down. The changes also have the likelihood of creating a two-tier system that won’t guarantee in-person hearings for vulnerable claimants, but apparently that doesn’t matter. And when it comes to cancelling immigration applications or even permanent residency cards because of “public interest,” which the minister can simply declare arbitrarily, well, they decided not to narrow those powers either.
There is some spectacularly bad and frankly abusive legislation that this government is pushing forward, and the Senate should be doing its job and pushing back, especially in cases like this, where the government is trying to give itself arbitrary powers with no guardrails. This is a bad thing, but apparently, we have a bunch of timid senators who don’t want to rock the boat too much. Wasn’t that why everyone was so busy patting themselves on the back for the “independent” Senate, where they weren’t being whipped (not that the whip has been anything but illusory in the Senate), so that they could actually push back against the government? If this is “independence” or “pushing back” against bad legislation, well, I’d hate to see what a pliant Senate looks like.
Ukraine Dispatch
There was an explosion in Mykolaiv, similar to the bombing in Lviv. Ukrainian forces have reclaimed eight settlements in a counter-offensive in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
Here is a compilation of stats on the toll that four years of war has had on Ukraine, while here is a look at how costly this has been in Russian lives. AP has a photo essay featuring several people affected by the war, and a gallery of some of the images over the past four years.
Good reads:
- Later this week, Mark Carney will head out on a nine-day trade mission to Japan, India, and Australia.
- Canada’s ambassador to Mexico hopes that flights will resume shortly as the security situation calms down after the weekend.
- The Treasury Board president is certain that there will be enough desks for four days a week in the office. Nothing to worry about! (Seriously?!)
- Evan Solomon has summoned OpenAI officials to his office (for a closed-door meeting, where he’ll reassure them he’ll take a “light touch” on regulations).
- Oh, look—the owners of the Ambassador Bridge donated $1 million US to a Trump super PAC just before Trump went on his tear about the Gordie Howe bridge.
- The US government is winding down even more of its life-saving foreign aid programmes (while Canada is also doing far less than its share).
- The Ontario Superior Court has certified a class action lawsuit by migrant workers for systemic racism and discrimination.
- Conservatives spent their Supply Day trying to argue against healthcare for asylum claimants, insisting that they’re all “bogus” and scamming the system.
- The Conservatives successfully amended the “regulatory sandbox” provisions out of the budget implementation bill, and it completed committee study.
- Conservatives are rejecting a “clarifying” amendment to the hate crimes legislation, and continue to insist it’s going to censor religion.
- NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice is seriously considering running for the provincial Quebec Solidaire this fall (which will end any hope the NDP has in Quebec).
- Scott Stinson suggests that our declining Olympic performance is due to stagnant government funding for elite athletes, which is grinding performance to a halt.
- Marty Patriquin ponders Quebec’s shift from supporting Bitcoin mining to digital asbestos data centres with their hydro allocations.
Odds and ends:
My Loonie Politics Quick Take points out that the government’s big song and dance about their measures to fight extortion won’t do much more than violate rights.
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