Wednesday 16 June 2010

NDP suggestion to split the pardon bill is accepted

CBC News - Politics - Pardon bill agreement reached
and
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/mps-agree-to-head-off-homolkas-bid-for-pardon/article1606885/

The opposition parties considered the whole bill as badly drafted legislation that needed further scrutiny.
The NDP suggested that the bill be split so that the part that would pertain to criminals like Homolka could pass
quickly while the rest of the legislation could be considered later. The Conservatives finally agreed and all the parties have now agreed to pass this part of the legislation that pertains to offenders like Homolka.

Homolka would have been eligible to apply for parole this July.



4 comments:

Skinny Dipper said...

While I can accept an agreement to split the pardon bill, wouldn't this affect the Afghan prisoner/detainee committee issue? If parliament is recessed for the summer, then MPs wouldn't be able to call a vote on a contempt motion for the Conservative aides who have refused to testify at the parliamentary committee.

Rick Barnes said...

It was a little silly, the Harper Cons calling for the need for this legislation right now, when they have sat on it for a month and proposed it 4 years ago. Good compromise from the NDP. Funny how it took them all day to agree to what was impossible in the morning.

Thor said...

This bill won't affect the Afghan document issue - but the recess for the summer will let the Cons off the hook though.

ryan said...

awww.. now the poor MP's can go back to their homes and sharpen their claws for the upcoming debate on the bill this fall..At least a compromise was reached, and Harper and Toews weren't able to bully his bill through parliament.