Perspectives — May 16-18, 2017
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A busy Senate session and celebrations for National Fiddling Day were some of last week’s highlights.
Government
Last week, three key pieces of government legislation progressed through the Senate.
Bill C-37, life-saving legislation aimed at tackling Canada’s growing opioid crisis, received Royal Assent after being adopted in the Senate. The process in making Bill C-37 law admirably showcased the Senate’s complementary role in Parliament. Senators made significant contributions in a timely manner, recognizing the urgency of the legislation. The House of Commons agreed with one Senate amendment, disagreed with a second and altered language in the third. The Senate concurred with the message from the House. I would like to thank Senator Campbell for his dedication as the sponsor of this bill.
Bill C-30, which implements an ambitious trade agreement between Canada and the European Union, received Royal Assent after being adopted in the Senate. It sends an important message to our trading partners across the world that, in a time of increased economic protectionism, Canada is open for business. I would like to thank Senator Pratte for his devotion as the sponsor of this bill.
Bill C-31, which implements a trade agreement between Canada and Ukraine, was also adopted in the Senate. I would like to thank Senator Baker for sponsoring this bill, which is an important milestone in the Canada–Ukraine bilateral relationship.
The Senate also adopted Senator Frum’s Bill S-232 to establish Canadian Jewish Heritage Month — a bill the government intends to support. With Canadian Jewish Heritage Month, we will chip away at hostility, ignorance and intolerance to the benefits of all faith groups.
Opposition
This week, the Senate Conservative Caucus welcomed Royal Assent on Bill C-30 which paves the way for the implementation of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). CETA is the culmination of long-standing efforts to deepen economic relations between Canada and the EU. We are proud to have contributed to a bi-partisan effort which will greatly benefit Canadians and increase access to foreign markets.
It is now incumbent on the Government to devote focused policy attention to ensure successful implementation of this agreement. The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade heard from numerous witnesses who pointed to the vital importance of putting in place a comprehensive CETA implementation strategy to assist Canadian businesses in capitalizing on this agreement.
Congratulations to Senator Raynell Andreychuk on the support she received on her Bill S-226 targeting Russia for human rights abuses. Bill S-226, the Sergei Magnitsky Law, proposes sanctions on violators of global human rights. Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland announced this week that the Liberal government will support the bill. Excellent work Senator!
This week, the Honourable Rona Ambrose announced that she will be resigning her seat as MP for Sturgeon River – Parkland. We thank her for all of her hard work, her dedication to our party, and for the exceptional leadership that she has shown during her 13 years in the House of Commons. See full statement here.
On May 17th, we also wished Montreal a very happy 375th birthday.
Senate Liberals
On March 31, 2015, my bill to establish a National Fiddling Day became law, and since then, this special day has taken off. On the third Saturday in May, fiddlers and music-lovers come together across the country to celebrate and share their enthusiasm for fiddle music.
National Fiddling Day came to Parliament Hill this week, beginning when I spoke about it in the Senate, and continuing with the Dominion Carillonneur, Dr. Andrea McCrady, playing a collection of tunes — including one called “Fiddle Bill” — on the Peace Tower Carillon. I also co-hosted a reception which showcased an excellent group of fiddlers and stepdancers, including Kelli Trottier, who played her new “Canada 150” tune.
When I first proposed my bill, I imagined a day where fiddlers would give back to their communities. They would entertain and share their music, coming together with family, friends and community, in recognition of this beautiful instrument. I imagined an opportunity to celebrate fiddling itself and those who bring this music to life. Fiddlers and their accompaniment are well known to share their talents eagerly and unselfishly with others.
I believe that fiddling is an art form of national significance, and one that expresses all that is unique about the character of Canada and Canadians. You can find fiddle music almost everywhere, from church basements to Legion halls, from nursing homes to local pubs, from down home kitchens to Parliament Hill. With National Fiddling Day, I hope it will continue to grow in the years to come.
A busy Senate session and celebrations for National Fiddling Day were some of last week’s highlights.
Government
Last week, three key pieces of government legislation progressed through the Senate.
Bill C-37, life-saving legislation aimed at tackling Canada’s growing opioid crisis, received Royal Assent after being adopted in the Senate. The process in making Bill C-37 law admirably showcased the Senate’s complementary role in Parliament. Senators made significant contributions in a timely manner, recognizing the urgency of the legislation. The House of Commons agreed with one Senate amendment, disagreed with a second and altered language in the third. The Senate concurred with the message from the House. I would like to thank Senator Campbell for his dedication as the sponsor of this bill.
Bill C-30, which implements an ambitious trade agreement between Canada and the European Union, received Royal Assent after being adopted in the Senate. It sends an important message to our trading partners across the world that, in a time of increased economic protectionism, Canada is open for business. I would like to thank Senator Pratte for his devotion as the sponsor of this bill.
Bill C-31, which implements a trade agreement between Canada and Ukraine, was also adopted in the Senate. I would like to thank Senator Baker for sponsoring this bill, which is an important milestone in the Canada–Ukraine bilateral relationship.
The Senate also adopted Senator Frum’s Bill S-232 to establish Canadian Jewish Heritage Month — a bill the government intends to support. With Canadian Jewish Heritage Month, we will chip away at hostility, ignorance and intolerance to the benefits of all faith groups.
Opposition
This week, the Senate Conservative Caucus welcomed Royal Assent on Bill C-30 which paves the way for the implementation of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). CETA is the culmination of long-standing efforts to deepen economic relations between Canada and the EU. We are proud to have contributed to a bi-partisan effort which will greatly benefit Canadians and increase access to foreign markets.
It is now incumbent on the Government to devote focused policy attention to ensure successful implementation of this agreement. The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade heard from numerous witnesses who pointed to the vital importance of putting in place a comprehensive CETA implementation strategy to assist Canadian businesses in capitalizing on this agreement.
Congratulations to Senator Raynell Andreychuk on the support she received on her Bill S-226 targeting Russia for human rights abuses. Bill S-226, the Sergei Magnitsky Law, proposes sanctions on violators of global human rights. Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland announced this week that the Liberal government will support the bill. Excellent work Senator!
This week, the Honourable Rona Ambrose announced that she will be resigning her seat as MP for Sturgeon River – Parkland. We thank her for all of her hard work, her dedication to our party, and for the exceptional leadership that she has shown during her 13 years in the House of Commons. See full statement here.
On May 17th, we also wished Montreal a very happy 375th birthday.
Senate Liberals
On March 31, 2015, my bill to establish a National Fiddling Day became law, and since then, this special day has taken off. On the third Saturday in May, fiddlers and music-lovers come together across the country to celebrate and share their enthusiasm for fiddle music.
National Fiddling Day came to Parliament Hill this week, beginning when I spoke about it in the Senate, and continuing with the Dominion Carillonneur, Dr. Andrea McCrady, playing a collection of tunes — including one called “Fiddle Bill” — on the Peace Tower Carillon. I also co-hosted a reception which showcased an excellent group of fiddlers and stepdancers, including Kelli Trottier, who played her new “Canada 150” tune.
When I first proposed my bill, I imagined a day where fiddlers would give back to their communities. They would entertain and share their music, coming together with family, friends and community, in recognition of this beautiful instrument. I imagined an opportunity to celebrate fiddling itself and those who bring this music to life. Fiddlers and their accompaniment are well known to share their talents eagerly and unselfishly with others.
I believe that fiddling is an art form of national significance, and one that expresses all that is unique about the character of Canada and Canadians. You can find fiddle music almost everywhere, from church basements to Legion halls, from nursing homes to local pubs, from down home kitchens to Parliament Hill. With National Fiddling Day, I hope it will continue to grow in the years to come.