From the Official Opposition | Feb 25, 2022
Whenever the Emergencies Act is invoked, a Parliamentary Oversight Committee needs to be established.
When these committees are formed, the Chair of the committee is traditionally the Official Opposition.
The Act envisions a lean, opposition heavy committee that allows a review of the use of the extra powers employed by the Prime Minister and those that supported it.
So what is happening is that the Liberals and NDP are trying to weaken accountability and oversight measures required under the Emergencies Act by partnering up together again and proposing a motion to establish a committee that will give the Liberals a working majority on this committee, which by the way is in contravention of the spirit of the Act.
Their proposal would also give the Senate a disproportionate role on the committee and would create three co-chair positions, including one for the NDP (a member of the 4th party)!
My colleagues and I have rejected this proposal and provided a viable alternative that better reflects the requirements under the law.
If the Liberals and NDP are confident that their actions in invoking the Emergencies Act will stand up to parliamentary oversight and scrutiny, then they should abandon their motion and submit themselves to a rigorous accountability process that Canadians can trust.
Stay tuned.