The government recycled a great number of Bills during back to back 5 week sittings. Although there was a whirl of activity, there didn’t appear to be a general direction or a uniform approach to policy.

Little was done for agriculture save a measure of rhetoric. President Bush’s visit was more optics than substance although in my view it was a positive step, but far short of any significant accomplishment.

The tone of Parliament has changed according to accounts I hear on the Hill. During a Liberal majority there was little tolerance for Opposition input. Things have changed. Amendments to the Throne Speech were made and passed.

The Conservative amendments were substantive: reduce tax for low and modest income Canadians, examine establishing an independent Commission to lower EI payments to equal EI claims, examine options for electoral reform and a free vote on missile defense systems.

Standing Committees no longer hold Liberal majorities. The Liberals have 5 members, Conservatives 4, Bloc 2 and NDP 1 members. The Opposition are able by uniting to change the direction of legislation and have a real influence in many areas. An example is reducing the Governor General’s Budget by $400,000, a symbolic but not insignificance amount that sends a message that the Office needs to be more fiscally prudent. A further sum was reduced from the Privy Council Budget. The Treasury Board Minister proceeded with a motion before Parliament as a Whole to restore the amounts but the Opposition joined and defeated the motion.

The Conservatives also attempted to slash firearm registry money in two separate motions that either would have effectively done away with the registry or as a minimum redirected some funds to law enforcement.

The Liberal government was pressed with problems plaguing the Immigration Department and the Minister of Immigration as well as with problems associated with the continuing saga of the Gomery Inquiry in response to the Sponsorship Scandal.

Prime Minister Martin refused to appoint the three elected Senators from Alberta who were elected on November 22, 2004. All three were members of the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party. The Prime Minister has stated in the House he didn’t feel the Senate should be reformed piecemeal yet is not prepared to undertake a substantive review. This is disappointing as minimally the Prime Minister should exercise his prerogative and appoint the three elected Senators. At the present time there are 15 vacancies. Saskatchewan has one vacancy with another arising on the retirement of Herbert Sparrow in January of 2005.

The Marriage Bill that the Liberals propose to introduce in February allowing for same sex couples to be included in the definition of marriage has sparked debate and one expects this issue will really heat up in February.

The Supreme Court has certainly indicated that the federal government has the jurisdiction to pass the Bill allowing for same sex marriage but at the same time failed to answer the fourth question which the Prime Minister wanted answered namely whether the heterosexual definition of marriage is constitutional. Stephen Harper of the Conservatives opposes the proposed Bill and intends to introduce amendments to confirm the traditional definition of marriage, to recognize same-sex relationships and provide for religious protection. The Court was clear that although the federal government can legislate the requirement for the capacity to marry the solemnization of marriage is a provincial matter. Matters relating to relationships less than marriage are legislated by provinces. All of this will provide a most interesting mix for parliament to deal with. In my view in the long run members of the public will decide the fate of this issue either by complacency and inaction or by rallying and making their views known in no uncertain terms to parliamentarians especially on Election Day.

To add intensity and interest, the Ballistic Missile debate will take place in Parliament before Canada reaches a final decision on the issue.

Part B

Its hard to believe that on December 7, 2003, Stephen Harper and Peter MacKay finalized the agreement to create the Conservative Party of Canada and organized 308 new riding associations, fielded 308 candidates in the general election in June of 2004 and increased to an Official Opposition of 99 members.

During parliamentary sittings the Conservatives have had to review 39 Bills that were introduced covering a variety of subjects and that are now in various stages in the parliamentary process.

The Federal Equalization Bill, C-24 set out equalization payments to the provinces and although providing for a base amount for each province with yearly increases made no provision to exclude nonrenewable resources. This was left to a panel of experts and the Prime Minister’s discretion.

The Tlicho Land and Self- Government Act providing self governance and related issues was passed despite opposition by the Conservative Party. I supported the First Nations Fiscal and Statistical Management Act which provided for First Nations property tax regime, a First nations bond financing regime and the institutions to support them in order for First Nations to raise long-term financing for much needed infrastructure. Among other bills that generated interest was the Public Service Disclosure Protection Act (Whistle Blower’s Legislation); Criminal Code amendments regarding the protection of children and other vulnerable persons; the Canada Education Savings Act; a Bill dealing with communicable diseases; DNA data bank legislation; Marijuana legislation and others.

I sat on the Human Resources and Skills Development Committee dealing with the Employment Insurance issue. An interim report was filed before Parliament adjourned with the initial recommendation of the Committee setting out the following in part: that an Employment Insurance Commission and an employment insurance fund account be established outside of the Consolidated Revenue Fund with the fund used exclusively to cover employment insurance costs; that a premium rate stabilization reserve be created with such reserves estimated by an actuary with expert advice; insuring that any extraordinary rate increases are approved by a vote in the House of Commons; implementation of a $3,000 yearly basic insurable earning exemption with indexing upwards and that the government devise and implement a method of refunding employment insurance premiums to employers corresponding to employer over contributions. All on in all, 2005 should be an interesting year, complete with some very explosive issues.