Posted on 08 October 2009
OTTAWA – Senator James S. Cowan, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, was surprised and disappointed that Conservative Senators rejected a proposal from the Liberals that would have seen the government’s crime bill (Bill C-25) considered and voted on this afternoon in the Senate.
Following today’s tabling of a Report on Bill C-25 by the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, Liberals asked that the Senate move quickly on the bill by immediately studying the Committee’s Report and voting on it today, as opposed to waiting until the next scheduled sitting of the Senate, as the Rules stipulate. The Senate could then have proceeded to third reading of the bill as early as tomorrow. Unfortunately, Senator Comeau, the Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate, refused to accept this proposal to expedite the process.
Instead of moving quickly on this bill, the Conservatives decided to adjourn the Senate until October 20th even though the Rules provide that the Senate should have met again on Friday at 9:00 am. Had the Government allowed the Senate to meet tomorrow, it could have completed its consideration of the bill before Parliament adjourned for the October break week.
"Following the Committee’s thorough study and report on the bill, Liberal Senators offered to deal with the legislation immediately. We offered to do so this afternoon, but Conservative Senators refused," said Senator Cowan. "I can only conclude that the Conservative government is more interested in the politics of this bill than in addressing crime in this country."
This puzzling behaviour by the Conservative Caucus in the Senate contradicts the repeated demands by Justice Minister Rob Nicholson for the Senate to quickly adopt this legislation.
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For more information:
Marc Roy
Office of the Hon. James S. Cowan
(613) 947-2798