Hello,
The chair of a group of parliamentarians who raised a red alert about foreign interference in Canadian politics says it’s now up to the police to help deal with their findings.
“The question of whether or not this issue is followed up on is a question rightly put to the RCMP,” MP David McGuinty, the chair of the National Security and Intelligence Committee told journalists on Parliament Hill today.
“And it is up to the RCMP to decide, on the basis of any intelligence or evidence they may have in their possession, whether they are going to take steps or not.”
McGuinty said anything MPs on the committee can say is in their report, which found some unnamed MPs had “wittingly” participated in efforts by other countries to interfere in Canadian politics.
McGuinty noted that committee members are bound by the Security of Information Act for the rest of their lives. They waived their parliamentary privilege to sit on the committee. If they inadvertently reveal information, they can be prosecuted, he said.
“The committee is not permitted to expand on the language in the review,” he said.
He said he is pleased to see the government appears, from its response to the release of the document, to be taking the issue seriously.
“For Canadians and for parliamentarians, we have painted a picture of the lay of the land when it comes to foreign interference in the country.”
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TODAY'S HEADLINES
Bank of Canada cuts key interest rate for the first time in four years to 4.75%: The central bank’s governing council lowered the policy rate to 4.75 per cent from 5 per cent, a two-decade high reached last summer after 10 rapid-fire rate hikes.
Canada aims to protect cattle industry as U.S. avian flu outbreak spreads: Martin Appelt, senior director of animal health programs for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, says not a single case of the disease has been found in Canadian cows, but the agency has initiated enhanced surveillance and testing.
Calgary MP works to stop deportation of convicted truck driver in Humboldt Broncos crash: “What will the deportation accomplish? Will it make any Canadian safer? Will it make Canada a better place to live? And the answer is, it will not. He has served his time,” Calgary Skyview MP George Chahal, a Liberal, said. Story here.
Ottawa declines to release secret internal analysis of economic effects of carbon pricing: Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault’s office has repeatedly declined Globe and Mail requests to explain why it is keeping its internal analysis secret. It also did not respond to a request for the documents.
Canadian D-Day veteran Bill Cameron dies just days before 80th anniversary events: “We just couldn’t believe it,” Cameron’s daughter, Donna Roy said of her father’s death. “His bag was totally packed. We were ready to pick him up.”
Builders metres away from longest bridge ever built between Canada and U.S: When the two halves of the Gordie Howe International Bridge are soon joined, North America’s busiest border crossing will have a new road to travel.
Ethics commissioner to look into Boissonnault’s business dealings: Global News says the parliamentary ethics commissioner has reversed course and said he will examine the business dealings of federal cabinet minister Randy Boissonnault, notably ties to a lobbying firm and a medical supply business.
Doug Ford’s PC Party fundraising leaves rivals in its dust: The Ontario PCs have built up a $9-million surplus in party coffers, dwarfing their rivals amid the possibility of an early provincial election call. CBC reports.
TODAY’S POLITCAL QUOTES
“We’ve come a long way in the fight against inflation and our confidence that inflation will continue to move closer to the 2 per cent target has increased in recent months.” – Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem at a news conference in Ottawa today, where he announced the central bank will lower its key interest rate.
“What I would encourage people to do is read the report, cover to cover.” – MP David McGuinty, chair of the National Security and Intelligence Committee, on the committee’s newly released report on foreign interference in Canadian politics.
“We have been working really hard to create the economic conditions which would make it possible for the bank to lower rates and today we see the fruit of that hard work,” – Chrystia Freeland, the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, during a news conference at Parliament Hill, on the Bank of Canada’s interest-rate announcement, today. She left without answering media questions about foreign interference.
THIS AND THAT
Today in the Commons: Projected Order of Business at the House of Commons, June 5, accessible here.
Deputy Prime Minister’s Day: Private meetings in Ottawa and Chrystia Freeland attended the Liberal caucus meeting.
Ministers on the Road: In Toronto, Treasury Board President Anita Anand delivered remarks on the federal government’s efforts to green its operations and participated in a fireside chat during an annual conference of the Canada Green Building Council. Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan delivered remarks at the Energy NL annual conference in St. John’s.
Commons Committee Highlights: Former federal cabinet minister Carolyn Bennett was scheduled to appear as a witness in a 4:30 p.m. ET foreign-affairs committee hearing on her appointment as Canada’s ambassador to Denmark.
Senate Committee Highlights: Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress, is among the witnesses appearing at 4:15 p.m. ET before the social-affairs committee on Bill C-50, the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act.
GG in New Brunswick: Mary Simon, with her partner Whit Fraser, continued an official visit to New Brunswick, with stops in Fredericton and the New Brunswick town of Caraquet that include Simon participating in a fireside chat on online harassment and an Acadian cultural evening in Caraquet.
Hamamdjian signs on with NBC: Danielle Hamamdjian, formerly a member of the CTV News Parliament Hill bureau, has joined the London bureau of NBC News as a freelance correspondent. In recent years, Hamamdjian had been a London correspondent with CTV News until she was laid off in 2023.
PRIME MINISTER'S DAY
Justin Trudeau travelled to Deauville in France for ceremonies to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
LEADERS
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May attended the House of Commons, and asked her weekly question during Question Period.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh attended the NDP caucus meeting and, ahead of Question Period, took media questions before attending Question Period.
No schedules released for Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet or Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
THE DECIBEL
On today’s edition of the podcast, U.S. political analyst and author Jared Yates Sexton explains the wide appeal of the religious right’s messaging, the intersection of evangelicalism and the Make America Great Again Movement and how a loss of faith in democratic institutions underlies the appeal of religious narratives. The Decibel is here.
TRIBUTE
Colleen Klein: The widow of former Alberta premier Ralph Klein has died, aged 83. CBC reports.
PUBLIC OPINION
CAQ slide reverses: The Montreal Gazette reports that the governing Coalition Avenir Québec gained three points in the latest Léger poll for TVA-Journal de Montréal to sit at 25 per cent, seven points behind the first-place Parti Québécois.
OPINION
It shouldn’t take a crisis to fix the bench strength of Canada’s courts
“A year ago, Supreme Court Chief Justice Richard Wagner issued a dire warning to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about the many unfilled judicial jobs across the country – an “untenable” situation that could “result in a crisis for our justice system.” At the time, there were upward of 90 judicial vacancies out of 995 full-time jobs on federally appointed courts. Today, the situation isn’t resolved, but it is improved.” – The Globe and Mail Editorial Board.
Jagmeet Singh’s grocery-price anger week
“Jagmeet Singh did his best to look into the TV camera and deliver an ultimatum to grocery-chain companies: “Lower your prices. Or else.” On Tuesday, the NDP Leader told reporters in the foyer of the House of Commons that something had to be done about high grocery prices – and that his party was going to do it. He mustered something of a fervent expression. But by now, grocery-chain executives must know he’s a stick-up man with a pop gun.” – Campbell Clark.
B.C. has entered a new era of political tumult and change
“Before we get to the current state of B.C. politics, we need to take a trip back in time. In 1986, the centre-right Social Credit Party rode to another victory under the audacious leadership of one Bill Vander Zalm. Electing Mr. Vander Zalm to head the party over a field of what were surely more qualified, level-headed alternatives proved to be a fatal mistake.” -Gary Mason.
If the Conservatives have a ‘hidden agenda’ on abortion, it’s a mess
“I will grant that Mr. Viersen is pretty much the physical manifestation of the caricature the Liberals paint of the Conservatives every election. As Mr. Erskine-Smith pointed out during their conversation, Mr. Viersen celebrated the overturning of Roe v. Wade in the United States. He is a regular fixture at anti-abortion rallies across the country. When Mr. Erskine-Smith posed a series of rapid-fire questions about whether he would support legislation to restrict or abolish certain rights or freedoms (gay marriage, legalization of marijuana, abortion), Mr. Viersen responded as any good Conservative caricature would: vote them all down, live in presumed utopia.” - Robyn Urback.
How fast and how far for further rate cuts, Bank of Canada?
“The Bank of Canada finally pulled the trigger on Wednesday and reduced its policy rate by 25 basis points. Forecasters were split between a June or July cut, but overall, the data were just too strong in favour of a cut – or too weak, as it were, considering the latest GDP numbers. This marks the beginning of a cycle of easing policy rates. The question for most commentators, investors, and consumers is now: How far and how fast?” Jeremy Kronick and Steve Ambler.
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