Overview
- Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon disclosed Tuesday that he will table a motion to rework committee rosters so Liberal MPs hold the most votes on every panel.
- The draft sets Liberal-chaired committees at 12 members with seven Liberals, and opposition-chaired committees at 10 with five Liberals, which yields an effective majority because chairs usually do not vote.
- Conservatives and the Bloc denounced the shift as a bid to curb scrutiny, with Andrew Scheer saying it would make things easier for the government rather than for Canadians facing high costs.
- Conservatives plan an amendment to keep opposition numbers on key oversight bodies such as ethics, public accounts and government operations, but MacKinnon rejected creating any ‘two-tier’ committee system.
- Changing the standing orders needs a House vote, not unanimous consent, and observers expect the government may use time allocation to cut off debate; Liberals now have a 174-seat working majority after by-election wins and floor crossings, and committees can compel documents and witnesses that ministries would rather keep private.