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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 87

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
June 13, 2022 11:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 87 - Jun/13/22
Hon. Michael Chong (Wellington—Halton Hills, CPC)
  • Jun/13/22 2:34:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Emergencies Act can only be invoked when there is no other law to deal with the situation. It is not clear that this threshold was met. Members of the law enforcement community have said that the threshold was not met, including Chris Lewis, former commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police, Ontario's largest police force. When the public safety minister says that an unnamed police enforcement official made the request to invoke these powers, it is material. I have a very simple question: Who is this unnamed police enforcement official?
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Context: House Hansard - 87 - Jun/13/22
Hon. Michael Chong (Wellington—Halton Hills, CPC)
  • Jun/13/22 2:36:08 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the minister did not answer the question. Suspending civil liberties is serious. That is why the act can only be invoked when there is no law in Canada to deal with the situation. That is why a committee of Parliament and a public inquiry must be established to determine whether or not the threshold for invocation was met. For the committee and the inquiry to do its work, the government must be honest and forthright with its answers. The minister's answers are anything but. Again, I have a very simple question. The government came to office with a great deal of idealism. Does any remain?
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Context: House Hansard - 87 - Jun/13/22
Hon. Michael Chong (Wellington—Halton Hills, CPC)
  • Jun/13/22 3:01:42 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, normally the Department of Foreign Affairs has a list of countries whose national days Canadian officials are not to attend. The list is compiled by departmental officials, but the final decision rests with the minister. Last week, Friday, a Canadian official attended the Russian embassy's celebration. On Friday night, the minister's office concurred with the department, but yesterday the minister reversed course and blamed officials. Instead of blaming officials, will the minister accept that the list is her responsibility and will the minister accept ministerial accountability?
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Context: House Hansard - 87 - Jun/13/22
Hon. Michael Chong (Wellington—Halton Hills, CPC)
  • Jun/13/22 3:03:00 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, last week the minister announced yet another delay in the government's Indo-Pacific strategy, announcing the committee to craft this strategy and bypassing the department. Clearly, the government does not think officials are capable of doing this work. Since the department has been cut out of crafting this strategy, which is now in the hands of the government's hand-picked committee, will the minister at the very least tell us when this strategy will be complete and made public?
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