January 11, 2010
By
Alison Loat
Last week we told you about the 38th Parliament, and this week are a few highlights from the 39th, which followed the January 2006 election and sat from April 2006 to September 2008. This was Stephen Harper's first minority government.
It doesn't seem that long ago does it? But you may be surprised by what you've forgotten... The novel A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseni dominated the fiction bester-seller list; The Secret by Rhonda Byrne was becoming a global phenomenon and the 2007 Academy Award for best movie went to No Country for Old Men.
Meanwhile, in Canadian politics:
- Accountability (still): The fall-out from the Quebec-Federal Sponsorship Scandal continued and in February 2006 The Gomery Commission Report is released and it recommends a number of reforms to the civil service and its relationship with government;
- Democratic Reform: Bill C-16 passes on May 3, 2007. The impact? It brings into law fixed election dates which means that the Prime Minister is no longer able to call a snap election in a majority government situation. Going forward, regular elections will be scheduled unless a non-confidence motion is passed against a minority government;
- The Environment: In October 2006 and despite the provisions of the ratified Kyoto Accord, the Clean Air Act fails to pass, and
- Defence: The motion to extend Canada's mission in Afghanistan by two years (until 2011) was also successful
Next week, more on the backgrounds of our Members of Parliament.
LABELS:
MP Exit Interviews, political leadership
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