Politics Briefing: Senators mull message not to ‘infringe’ on MPs’ rights

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Good morning,

The House of Commons rose for the summer last night, but not without sending a parting shot to the Senate. "By unanimous consent, it was ordered … a message be sent to the Senate to acquaint Their Honours that the House disagrees with the amendments made by the Senate to [the budget bill], because these amendments infringe upon rights and privileges of the House," the motion read, agreed to by all MPs.

It follows Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's recent comments that senators shouldn't touch money bills. Senators, though, were not happy to be told what not to do. "We are a major part of Parliament. We have every right to amend any bill, to propose amendments at any time, whether it's a budget bill or not," fumed Liberal Senator Jim Munson.

At issue was whether a new excise tax on alcoholic beverages should automatically rise with inflation -- the Senate having already agreed with virtually every other part of the Liberal government's mammoth omnibus budget bill, including its controversial infrastructure bank. Now, while MPs go home, senators will sit a little bit longer. The Senate, which doesn't sit until mid-afternoon most days, will reconvene this morning to continue debate on the budget bill.

This is the daily Politics Briefing newsletter, written by Chris Hannay in Ottawa, with James Keller in Vancouver. If you're reading this on the web or someone forwarded this email newsletter to you, you can sign up for Politics Briefing and all Globe newsletters here. Let us know what you think.

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CANADIAN HEADLINES

Members of the House Armed Services committee, a powerful body in the United States Congress, say they are concerned that Canada has not conducted a proper national-security review of a Chinese takeover of a Canadian tech firm that provides services to military clients. "I have growing concern that countries like China are investing in various projects, exploiting the seams of regulatory structures, and using other methods to obtain key defence technologies," said chair Mac Thornberry.

The Canada-EU trade deal may not kick into action on July 1 as planned, iPolitics reports, citing the international trade minister.

Canada's premiers remain relatively unpopular with their constituents, according to the Angus Reid Institute's quarterly tracking poll, with even Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall dipping below 50-per-cent approval for the first time since 2010. The least-popular leaders -- Newfoundland and Labrador's Dwight Ball and Ontario's Kathleen Wynne -- saw their numbers improve slightly, but were still at the bottom of the pack.

The Liberal government says it will pledge 100 Wellington St. -- a building across the street from Parliament that served as the U.S. embassy through much of the 20th century -- to Canada's indigenous people as a cultural centre. Some local indigenous groups, however, would rather the centre be set up on a nearby island on the Ottawa River. The Prime Minister also announced yesterday that Langevin Block, the building that houses his staff, would be renamed the Office of the Prime Minister and Privy Council. Hector-Louis Langevin, a Father of Confederation, was also an architect of Canada's residential schools.

And a sniper with Canada's special forces in Iraq has set a new world record for longest kill shot. The bullet travelled more than three kilometres and took about 10 seconds to reach its target.

Andrew Cohen (The Globe and Mail) on the new centre for indigenous people near Parliament: "If it is questionable artistically, symbolically it's awful. Do we want to offer Indigenous organizations an outpost of the American Empire, which deceived, displaced and murdered native Americans? Do we want Indigenous Canada to bury its heart on Wellington Street?"

Barry Westholm (The Globe and Mail) on veterans with PTSD: "It's not lost on soldiers that the boldness, money and energy which flows freely when placing them into harm's way quickly evaporates should they return home broken, demoralized and exhausted. Once a soldier is injured, the government and the CAF become risk-averse, stingy and timid, but the soldier, obeying orders, dare not speak about it."

Terry Glavin (Postmedia) on the Liberals' relationship with China: "When it comes to the cause of browbeating reluctant Canadians into subscribing to the sleazy proposition that an ever-more intimate relationship with the thuggish police state in Beijing is in Canada's national interest, you've got to hand it to them. These people just won't quit."

Andrew Coyne (National Post) on the infrastructure bank: "'Public risk for private profit' is not exactly a winning slogan. Far better to take the bank back into the shop over the summer for some retooling, making it both more truly independent and more truly private than the ungainly pushmi-pullyu the government envisions."

Chantal Hébert (Toronto Star) on notable MPs in the Commons: "This Liberal [national security] bill will be debated for months. If the opposition parties want to engage in the discussion on a serious basis, they will have to move off their talking points. It is clear that Goodale knows the file inside out. Indeed, in a cabinet replete with rookies, Goodale is very much emerging as the prime minister's go-to minister, a valuable and polyvalent player."

B.C. UPDATE

B.C.'s Liberal government tables its long-awaited Throne Speech today — setting in motion a process that will almost certainly end the government of Premier Christy Clark. The NDP and Green Party are expected to use their alliance to vote down the Liberals in a confidence vote as early as next week. In the meantime, the Liberal government plans to use the Throne Speech to map out a dramatic reversal from its spring re-election platform, adopting policies that might feel more at home coming from the Opposition. Ms. Clark insists it's not a cynical political ploy, but a sign that the government has listened to voters.

Among the policies that have emerged from the Liberals is an overhaul of the daycare system. During the spring election, the New Democrats seized on the issue by promising $10-per-day daycare, but the Liberals had little to say about the issue. Now, the Liberals say they want to spend $1-billion to create 60,000 childcare spaces with subsidies for families earning up to $100,000 a year. 

For updates from the opening of the legislature, including the selection of a Speaker and the Throne Speech, follow our B.C. bureau on Twitter at @GlobeBC. And brush up on what is likely to happen with our interactive explainer. 

INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES

Republicans in the U.S. Senate will finally release their health-care bill today, which they have been preparing in secret.

U.S. President Donald Trump will hold his first re-election fundraiser next week, at one of his own hotels in Washington.

Sean Spicer is trying to find someone to replace him at the White House press briefings.

The knives are out for the Democrats' House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

And if nothing else, the Trump administration has been a boon to U.S. political journalism. Politico Magazine profiles two titans of newspaper journalism -- the New York Times' Dean Baquet and the Washington Post's Marty Baron -- and how they've gotten to where they are.

Konrad Yakabuski (The Globe and Mail) on Russia and the Middle East: "Indeed, any resolution of the Syrian conflict lies with Mr. Putin and the Russian President appears to be in no hurry to play peacemaker. Indeed, it is in Mr. Putin's interest to prevent the construction of pipelines through Syria that would transport Persian Gulf natural gas to Europe, reducing the continent's energy reliance on Russia. And it goes without saying that there will be no new pipelines through Syria as long as war and terrorism ravage the country."

Rashid Husain Syed (The Globe and Mail) on the royal family of Saudi Arabia: "How did the Saudi royal family, with thousands of competing princes, react to the promotion of [Prince Mohammad bin Salman]? Although the deposed crown prince has taken an oath of allegiance to the new heir-apparent (on the instructions of the King, per some reports), many familiar figures of the recent past are keeping a low profile for the time being."