PM could reveal details of income-splitting plan during Vaughan visit

Cbc.ca
Oct. 30, 2014
By Kady O’Malley

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is expected to unveil the details of his party's much-discussed pledge to bring in income splitting during a mid-afternoon visit to a Jewish community centre in Vaughan.

According to CBC News sources, the proposal to be outlined today may turn out to be a somewhat scaled-down plan that would cap any potential tax savings at $2,000 per couple.

Also out and about outside the capital today: Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, who hits the byelection hustings in Whitby-Oshawa alongside Liberal standard-bearer, Celina Caesar-Chavannes, with scheduled stops at the local GO station and an evening rally at his candidate's campaign headquarters.

Back on Parliament Hill, MPs will continue discussing the pros and cons of the fall omnibus budget bill, which appears destined to be dispatched to committee early next week, courtesy of a time allocation motion to be introduced today that will impose a three-day deadline on the ongoing second-reading debate.

Later this evening, Liberal MP Joyce Murray will get her first opportunity to convince her colleagues to back her unexpectedly topical pitch to set up a special parliamentary oversight committee to keep tabs on national security policy, as well as the operations of CSIS, CSEC and other agencies engaged on that front.

Unless she's able to persuade House Speaker Andrew Scheer that her bill would not impose any additional cost on the treasury, however, she'll need the official endorsement of the government - and, specifically, a ministerial co-sponsor - for it to be passed at third reading.

Meanwhile, Conservative MP Michael Chong will make the case for his bid to rebalance caucus and party power dynamics at Procedure and House Affairs.

Elsewhere on the committee front:

Auditor General Michael Ferguson fields questions on his report on meeting the need for "key statistical data" at Public Accounts, which will also hear from Chief Statistician Wayne Smith.

Justice continues its review of the government's proposal to create a 'victims' bill of rights', with London Abused Women's Centre executive director Megan Walker and Criminal Lawyers Association member Michael Spratt on the list of witnesses for today.

The Subcommittee on International Human Rights gets an update on the state of human rights in Iran from UN Special Rapporteur Ahmed Shaheed, who is also scheduled to meet with Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird.

Also on the Hill today:

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment hosts a press briefing with "widely respected renewable energy experts" Bertram Fleck and Christine Woerlan, who will "urge" the government to "get serious about renewable energy" as part of a tour organized by the German Embassy.

The Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences hosts a "Big Thinking" breakfast at the Parliamentary Restaurant, during which MPs and senators will be briefed on the impact of "big data" on the health care system.

Outside the precinct, New Democrat MPs Matthew Dube and Peter Stoffer drop by a downtown Ottawa barber shop to launch the party's annual Movember campaign, during which MPs sprout moustaches to raise money for, and public awareness of, men's health issues.

US Secretary of State for Commerce Penny Pritzker talks North American competitiveness at the Chateau Laurier.

Western Economic Diversification Minister of State Michelle Rempel heads back home to Calgary, where she'll "provide remarks" at the Canadian Energy Supply Chain Forum.

Finally, Employment Minister Jason Kenney is slated to speak at an event organized by the Vancouver Island Economic Alliance.

For up to the minute dispatches from the precinct and beyond, keep your eye on the Parliament Hill Ticker below - or, alternatively, bookmark it and check back throughout the day.