Tories tabling aboriginal education bill amid criticism from First Nations – CP

Apr 10, 2014

THE CANADIAN PRESS

OTTAWA _ Proposed changes to Canada’s election laws will remain in the spotlight on Parliament Hill today on three fronts.

Besides the anticipated questions in the House of Commons that are being asked daily of late, the government will hear from Yves Cote, the commissioner of Elections Canada, when he appears at a Senate committee studying Bill C-23.

Cote will be followed by Harry Neufeld, the former chief electoral officer for Elections B.C., and others.

A Commons committee that’s studying the controversial bill will also hear from a number of witnesses.

“On Wednesday, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau vowed to repeal the proposed changes if he becomes prime minister, but also called on Stephen Harper to allow a free vote on the bill.”

Here are some other events happening today around Parliament Hill:

_ A day after the agency shut down its online filing systems, the Canada Revenue Agency will hold a tweet chat with post-secondary students and high-school students about filing an income tax and benefit return;

_ Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his wife Laureen will meet with Ollanta Humala Tasso, the President of Peru, who is on a state visit to Canada with his first lady, Nadine Heredia;

_ Proponents of developing Canada’s oil and gas industry, including John Van Der Put of TransCanada Pipelines, will outline to the Commons natural resources committee their views on how the sector can benefit the economy;

_ The Commons transport committee, meanwhile, will hear from the propane and petroleum industries on the transportation of dangerous goods and Canada’s safety management systems;

_ The Parliamentary Budget Officer will release a report that spells out the costs of cleaning up contaminated federal properties;

_ Climate Action Network Canada will outline how it believes climate change will impact everything from the Canadian economy to human health, farming, insurance and international aid;

_ Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo will speak with reporters after the goverment tables the First Nations Control of First Nations Education Act;

_ Francisco Alvarez de Soto, Panama’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, will host a breakfast for members of the Commons international trade committee before meeting with his Canadian counterpart, John Baird;

_ And how much is a new house worth these days? Statistics Canada will give you an idea of the average cost when it releases the new housing price index for February.