31 Jan, 2012 | By | The Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs will begin public hearings on Bill C-10, an Act to enact the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act and to amend the State Immunity Act, the Criminal Code, the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, the Youth Criminal Justice Act, the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and other Acts, with the Honourable Rob Nicholson, Minister of Justice and Attorney General and the Honourable Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety appearing before the committee on Wednesday February 1, 2012.
27 Jan, 2012 | By Senator Percy Downe | Since 2009, Federal Government spending increased by over 13% (Canada’s Performance Report 2008-2009 and 2010-2011), and, with the exception of Atlantic Canada, the size of the federal public service has increased by 3%.
Yet, Atlantic Canada suffered badly over the last three years, with a reduction of federal government employment amounting to 430 jobs; during the same time period, federal government employment was rapidly growing elsewhere in Canada. Now, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has announced that he intends to cut the number of federal government employees.
25 Jan, 2012 | By | Charlottetown Senator Percy Downe has written Minister of National Defence Peter MacKay, calling upon him to defend the interests of Atlantic Canada in Cabinet and to fight the disproportionate losses of federal public service jobs that have affected the region in recent years.
12 Dec, 2011 | By | Taking into consideration the recent string of suicides due to bullying and cyber-bullying in Canada and elsewhere, the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights will examine and report upon the issue of cyber-bullying in Canada with regard to Canada’s human rights obligations under Article 19 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
8 Dec, 2011 | By | Yesterday, the Vice-President of the Senate Banking, Trade and Commerce Committee, Senator Céline Hervieux-Payette, questioned the Minister of Finance, the Honourable Jim Flaherty on the flaws contained in Bill S-5: the Financial System Review Act.
7 Dec, 2011 | By | First Nations education is in crisis and requires a complete overhaul, says the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples in its latest report, entitled: Reforming First Nations Education: From Crisis to Hope.
25 Nov, 2011 | By | To gain first-hand perspectives on Western Canada’s energy systems and to better understand the energy sector challenges and opportunities faced in Western Canada, the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources (ENEV) will kick off a two-week Western visit, beginning Monday, in Vancouver.
24 Nov, 2011 | By | The Honourable Senator David Tkachuk, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration today tabled an independent auditor’s report of the Senate’s financial statements for the year ending March 31, 2011.
23 Nov, 2011 | By | The sexual exploitation of children is a deeply-rooted reality in too many Canadian homes, families and communities says a report by the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights. Entitled The Sexual Exploitation of Children in Canada: the Need for National Action the report tabled in the Senate today calls on the Government of Canada to establish a national strategy to ensure that an adequate and consistent level of services is available to help children avoid, escape or heal from the harms of sexual exploitation.
17 Nov, 2011 | By | Liberal senators are calling on their Conservative counterparts to support a motion that would enable the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Forestry to travel to Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba in order to hold public hearings on Bill C-18, An Act to reorganize the Canadian Wheat Board.
28 Oct, 2011 | By | Charlottetown Senator Percy Downe has written Prime Minister Stephen Harper urging him to correct the disproportionate federal job cuts that have been occurring in Atlantic Canada, and to ensure that in the future, Atlantic Canada will be treated equally compared to the other regions of Canada.
27 Oct, 2011 | By | Today, Senator Céline Hervieux-Payette received the World of Difference 100 Award from The International Alliance for Women (TIAW) in Washington, DC. Each year, TIAW gives an award to 100 women from around the world who have contributed to the economic empowerment of women at local, regional and international levels.
26 Oct, 2011 | By | New Brunswick Member of Parliament Dominic Leblanc and Senator Pierrette Ringuette will attend the “Free Henk Tepper” Rally on Sunday October 30th from 2 to 4 at the Grand Falls Sports Complex organized by the area concerned citizen group.
29 Sep, 2011 | By | The Honourable Mauril Bélanger, Member of Parliament for Ottawa-Vanier and Liberal Official Languages Critic, offered his congratulations today to Senator Claudette Tardif, who was presented with the Ordre des Francophones d’Amérique. Senator Tardif was decorated with the honour at a ceremony at the National Assembly of Québec presided by Christine St-Pierre, Minister of Culture, Communications, Status of Women and Minister responsible for the application of the Charte de la langue française.