FELDSTED: How are parliamentarians supposed to digest, debate and deal with the massive pottage of bills unrelated to the budget? AND ... it’s troubling our government appears to be committed to doing everything proposed by the UN

The Government’s Omnibus Bill, C-97 - Budget Implementation Act, 2019, #1 contains a National Housing Strategy Act which states:

• Whereas a national housing strategy would contribute to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations;
• And whereas a national housing strategy would support the progressive realization of the right to adequate housing as recognized in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to which Canada is a party;

The legislation sets lofty goals to improve the available housing in Canada but is silent on who will pay for reaching those goals. The federal government makes no commitment to fund its UN driven ideals. 

In addition, provinces have jurisdiction over:

• The Management and Sale of the Public Lands belonging to the Province and of the Timber and Wood thereon; and
• Generally, all Matters of a merely local or private Nature in the Province.

The federal government does not have the constitutional power to regulate provincial housing.   

Bill C-97 also contains the Poverty Reduction Act which states:

• Whereas Canada aspires to be a world leader in the eradication of poverty;
• And whereas the progress made by Canada in the reduction of poverty contributes to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations;

The legislation sets out lofty goals:

6 The targets for poverty reduction in Canada to which the Government of Canada aspires are the following:

(a) 20% below the level of poverty in 2015 by 2020; and

(b) 50% below the level of poverty in 2015 by 2030.

Once again, there is nothing tangible as to how those goals are to be underwritten (paid for) or how they are to be achieved. Targets the government aspires to are opaque and meaningless. Aspiring to something is not a commitment to action, but the outline of a dream.

It is troubling that our government appears to be committed to doing everything proposed by the United Nations. If so, dissolve parliament and save us the costs of a useless institution that cannot reason or think for itself or act in the best interests of Canadians.

BILL C-97 ALSO HAS 9 pages of summary, 12 pages of provisions and 367 pages of text dealing with:

1. the Income Tax Act,
2. GST/HST Measures,
3. Strengthening Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing Regime,
4. Employment Equity Act,
5. Canada Pension Plan,
6. Old Age Security Act,
7. Regulatory Modernization,
8. Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act,
9. Pilotage Act,
10. An Act respecting the commercialization of security screening services,
11. Aviation Industry Indemnity Act,
12. Transportation Appeal Tribunal of Canada Act,
13. An Act respecting the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants,
14. Immigration and Refugee Protection Act,
15. Federal Courts Act,
16. National Housing Act,
17. An Act respecting the reduction of poverty,
18. Veterans Well-being Act,
19. Student Loans,
20. Canada National Parks Act,
21. Parks Canada Agency Act,
22. An Act respecting the Department of Indigenous Services,
23. An Act respecting the Department of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Act, and finally,
24. An Act to establish a regime for prompt payment for construction work performed for the purposes of a construction project in respect of federal real property or federal immovables.

How are parliamentarians supposed to digest, debate and deal with the massive pottage of bills unrelated to the budget?

It is an attempt to circumvent the standing committees of the Commons who would be dissecting the various Bills included in an orderly fashion.

We should be appalled. When our representatives are not given the opportunity to thoroughly review government initiatives, we can be sure that no good will come of it.

John Feldsted

Political Consultant & Strategist

Winnipeg, Manitoba