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'Toxicity' and 'obstructionism': Trudeau tells Canadians Parliament is dysfunctional

Last Updated Jun 22, 2021 at 12:00 pm MDT

OTTAWA — Prime Minster Justin Trudeau is painting Parliament as a place of “toxicity” and “obstructionism” to his minority government’s agenda, fuelling growing speculation of a possible election call later this year.

The Liberals’ budget implementation bill is among the pieces of legislation being debated in the House of Commons, which is set to break for summer on Wednesday.

With time ticking on getting outstanding bills passed, Trudeau and his ministers have been calling out Opposition Conservatives for using procedural tactics to delay votes from happening. 

Trudeau says the government’s push to ban conversion therapy and enshrine Canada’s goal to get to net-zero emissions by mid-century can happen with the help of the Bloc Québécois and NDP. 

But the prime minister says it’s a troubling to see opposition MPs bring the head of the Public Health Agency of Canada to be publicly shamed before the House of Commons using parliamentary rules for a failure to release information. 

Conservatives say the agency needs to spill on why two scientists were fired from Canada’s highest security laboratory in Winnipeg two years ago, but Trudeau says the recent admonishment of PHAC president Iain Stewart was done for “purely partisan political purposes.”

“We have seen a level of obstructionism and toxicity in the house that is of real concern,” Trudeau said outside of the steps of Rideau Cottage, where he’s quarantining under COVID-19 rules after a trip to Europe to attend international meetings. 

In a late-night session of Monday’s sitting of the house, the Liberal’s proposed changes to Canada’s Broadcasting Act was adopted at third reading to be sent to the Senate.  

Conservative MPs been vehemently opposed to Bill C-10 and voted against it, saying it gives the government powers to regulate Canadians’ social media and it’s an attack on free speech. 

“If this controversial bill is adopted, a Conservative government will stand up for Canadians and repeal this deeply flawed legislation,” Alain Rayes, the party’s critic for heritage, said in a statement on Tuesday. 

“Only Canada’s Conservatives will keep on fighting for the freedoms of Canadians.” 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 22, 2021

Stephanie Taylor, The Canadian Press