Liberal MP Mario Silva continues to chair the Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism (CPCCA) inquiry into anti-Semitic acts in this country. The inquiry heard from more witnesses today, and I spoke to Silva after Question Period today about the hearings.

Q: How have the inquiry hearings been going?
A: We had some very good witnesses today, where everybody from Reverend El Shafie, who’s president of One Free World, we had Father John Walsh, Rabbi Dr. Reuven Bulka and Peter Ferreira from the Canadian Ethnocultural Council. So we had some very interesting people. As well, there was a part two session with individuals such as Shelly Faintuch from the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg, Avi Benlolo from the Holocaust Studies, and Ruth Klein, National Director of the League for Human Rights, B’nai Brith. It was all very interesting information they had to give us. We had certainly at the beginning of the discussion, especially with Reverend El Shafie, Father Walsh and Rabbi Bulka the whole idea of the need for people of faith to work together and the need for tolerance and importance of tolerance, and the dangers of when different faiths speak of act that are anti-Semitic, or of historical acts of anti-Semitism and don’t address it, and how it needs to be addressed. The faith community has to do their part and needs to work together to combat this evil of anti-Semitism. We thought it was very important. Peter Ferreira talked from the perspective of the Ethnocultural Council of different communities and the need for special funding to make sure that there are programmes to combat anti-Semitism and racism in this country, and we had in the part two session of the panel, certainly members from Avi and Ruth Klein from B’nai Brith who talked about what’s happening on the ground in terms of anti-Semitic acts and incidents throughout the country, and was a very good presentation, but disturbing at the same time to hear about some of the acts of vandalism and verbal attacks against Canadians of Jewish heritage.

Q: How many weeks to go?
A: We still have another hearing tomorrow and another two next week, and then we probably won’t sit until late January or early February. After that, we’ll have the report that will forward, hopefully by the end of March or April.

At the Commonwealth Heads Of Government summit in Trinidad and Tobago last weekend, the subject of Uganda's deeply anti-gay proposed law was raised in private by both Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and Britain's Prime Minister, Gordon Brown. Uganda chaired the summit, and there were hopes that the issue might be more publicly raised – possibly even considering suspending Uganda's membership in the Commonwealth – though eventually the issue of climate change dominated the agenda. I spoke two the Liberal foreign affairs critic, Bob Rae, and the NDP's LGBT critic Bill Siksay, after Question Period today.

Bob Rae:
Q: Was it enough for the Prime Minister to discuss the issue in private with the President of Uganda, or should he have made a more public condemnation?
A: I don’t know what else the Prime Minister did. I do know that he spoke vigorously with the President of Uganda. Canada’s position is in no doubt – it’s been stated on the floor of the House of Commons. I think we’re all wrestling with how do we deal with governments that have passed laws that are deeply homophobic, and not just homophobic but deeply prejudicial to the very notion of human rights itself. It’s no longer the expression of a moral choice or a preference, if you like. It really does speak to the ability of people to be themselves. Sexuality is a very important way for people to express themselves, and when you say that how a certain percentage of the population expresses itself is illegal, and is subject to a prison sentence, and is subject to terrible punishment, it’s a deep offence against the human rights of all of us, and I think it’s something which we all have to be profoundly concerned about. Unfortunately, it’s not confined to Uganda.

Bill Siksay:
Q: Did you find the Prime Minister’s response adequate, to have a private chat rather than do something more publicly?
A: I think it would have been better to have the public opportunity, but I don’t know what the dynamics are for getting something on the agenda at a Commonwealth Heads Of Government meeting. I am very happy, very pleased that the Prime Minister took the initiative to at least have the private conversation.

Q: Does it say that to have it as a private conversation is that this is something that can’t be discussed in polite company?
A: Lest you scare the horses? I don’t know – I hope not. I’m not experienced enough in international diplomacy and those kinds of meetings. I would expect that those kinds of meeting, the agendas are set a long time ahead, so I don’t know. You’re right – it would have been better if it had been a public discussion, but at least the Prime Minister has made it clear directly to the government of Uganda and the [President] of Uganda, Canadians’ concerns about this legislation, and I think he deserves points for doing that.

During his Commonwealth summit meeting, Harper met with Her Majesty and announced that she will be visiting Canada next summer. Yay! And guess what else? She’ll be here in Ottawa for Canada Day! How awesome is that?

(Canadian Press photo)

Apparently they talked a lot about climate change and the Copenhagen conference, as many Commonwealth nations are going to feel the brunt of climate change. As for the Uganda situation, Harper had a private talking to with the Ugandan president, but nothing public. Apparently so did UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Great – so it’s something that can’t be mentioned in polite company? Big fail.

Harper, however, then decided that he hadn’t quite reached his jackass quota for the day, and when visiting the HMCS Quebec – at Port-of-Spain to assist in the summit security – he decided to take the opportunity to accuse the opposition of smearing the Forces by looking into the Afghan detainee issue. Ignatieff quickly sent out a written statement to denounce Harper’s comments, calling them “beneath the office” – and he’s not wrong. This issue has never been about accusing our troops of wrongdoing, but has always been framed by all sides as trying to protect them from government mismanagement of the detainee issue. That Harper decided to use the Forces as the shield to hide behind is pretty low.

On that same topic, Peter MacKay has reversed himself yet again, and now says he was aware of the conditions in Afghan prisons as soon as he took office. This tactic is called trying to shift the blame to the Liberals, who started the old detainee transfer process in the wake of American prisoner abuse scandals and while our troops were still in Kabul and not Kandahar, so prisoner transfers were few and far between. But hey, anything to avoid taking responsibility, right?

Maybe it’s the geek in me, but I though it was pretty awesome that Mauril Bélnger used his Member’s Statement on Friday to pay tribute to the Grand Dame of Canadian science fiction, Phyllis Gotlieb.

Judy Wasylycia-Leis used her statement to urge members to vote for Bill C-393 and see CAMR reformed.

Mr. Speaker, night has already fallen in much of Africa. Another day has passed and another 14,000 people have died needlessly from infectious diseases for which medicine is readily available, just not for them.
It is mostly grandmothers who care for the dying and who are left to piece together the shattered lives that remain. They tell us through the Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign, Canadian women devoting incredible energy in solidarity with their African sisters, that Canada's access to medicines regime, which was supposed to make more drugs available, is not working.
UNICEF, Oxfam, Canadian Crossroads International, Results Canada and the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network all agree and have called for the changes set out in my private member's Bill C-393. I urge all members to vote for this bill to ensure that we fix Canada's access to medicines regime and get Canadian drugs moving to save lives.

The final hour of debate on that bill was held on Friday, and it is due to be voted on for Second Reading on Wednesday. The Liberals are split on the issue – and there are only a few Conservatives who see the merit in it. This is going to be a tough one.

Elsewhere, despite its constant desire to apologise to ethno-cultural communities for past government actions against them, this government feels that Italian-Canadians don’t deserve the same treatment for their internment in World War II. Probably because they don’t feel they can mine votes there, but that might sound cynical.

The CBC has a couple of great pieces that you should read. The first is the way that the government has been withholding key reports that would be very useful for the study of crime bills – and they release the reports once it’s too late for the opposition to use them. Because it’s really not all one big game or anything. (Funnily enough, the Toronto Star also details how the “open and transparent” Conservatives have also quietly dumped the outspoken head of the RCMP’s watchdog agency). The other CBC piece is a fairly in-depth piece on those troublesome ten percenters, which puts a lot of things into perspective.

With Harper off to the Commonwealth summit, and Ignatieff off in Montreal to unveil his party’s environment platform (version 5.0 I think), the benches seemed a bit thin in the House for a Thursday.

Mario Silva had a Member’s Statement on the one-year anniversary of the attacks on Mumbai.

Mr. Speaker, one year ago today, we joined with people across the world in horror as we watched what was to be two days of terrorist actions in the Indian city of Mumbai.
Like so many other such assaults upon humanity, these terrorist attacks served to remind us of the terrible hatred and extremism that still exists in our world today. Those innocent people who lost their lives in Mumbai will live on in our memories forever.
Anyone doing these deeds can never win however, because in the end good people always triumph over evil.
As Mahatma Gandhi once said, “You must never despair of human nature”. The world is full of good.
We in Canada join with our brothers and sisters in India in commemorating this dark day, but more important, we remember those who left us and whose light will continue to shine forever.
Our resolve will never falter as we join good and decent people everywhere in resisting hatred, intolerance and destruction in our world.

Libby soon after stood up to talk about her report on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured that the report of the parliamentary delegation to the West Bank and Gaza this past August has been presented.
It was a significant and compelling experience, and I am committed to raising awareness about the worsening humanitarian disaster in Gaza and the need to end the blockade, normalize borders and end the occupation of Palestinian lands.
I am deeply concerned that the Conservative government has so politicized the situation in the Middle East and has gone so far as to attack MPs and organizations who criticize the actions of Israel as being anti-Semitic. Let us be clear. Anti-Semitism has no place in Canada.
The Conservative attacks are reminiscent of McCarthyism and also have no place in Canadian society.
Rather than trying to silence and denigrate legitimate public debate, including its contempt of the Goldstone report, the Conservative government must stand up for international law, human rights and the fourth Geneva Convention.
I hope all members will consider this report and ensure that Canada affirms its commitment to peace and justice for Palestinians and for a lasting--[microphone cut off at time limit]

Bob Rae led off Question Period with more questions about the whole detainee issue. John Baird was the designated caucus babysitter in Harper’s absence, and his obfuscation of the day was to denounce Liberal fundraising letter, which raises the cover-up on detainees, calling them an attack on our “great Canadian heroes.” Seriously? The language in the letter is about protecting the reputations of Canadian soldiers and diplomats. How is that possibly an attack on them?

Peter MacKay did stand up to answer Ujjal Dosanjh’s question – not that he said anything new. Baird again answered Duceppe’s questions on the detainees, as well as with Layton’s questions. Layton waited for his second question to break ranks on the detainee file – asking about Copenhagen – which Baird assured him that Harper would be attending the conference.

Michael Savage and Diane Finley had a showdown about who was smearing Canadians more – Savage demanding the Prime Minister apologise for the crazy comments of his MPs (like Keddy, Vellacott and Lukiwski), while Finley repeating Baird’s contention about alleged smears against soldiers (even though there were never smears!) That letter came up yet again when Pierre Poilievre used a faux-solemn tone to castigate Marlene Jennings and Bonnie Crombie when they asked questions on the In-and-Out affair.

Bill Siksay asked about the Uganda issue coming up at the Commonwealth meeting.

Siksay: Mr. Speaker, Uganda's anti-homosexuality bill is reprehensible, vile and hateful. It violates human rights by imposing life in prison on gays and lesbians and a death sentence for those who are gay and have AIDS. It will jail anyone who fails to report people they know to be gay.
At the Commonwealth meeting, will the Prime Minister meet face to face with Uganda's Prime Minister to help stop this bill, and will he make gay, lesbian and trans rights essential to development and educational work supported by Canadian foreign aid in Uganda and elsewhere?
Baird: Mr. Speaker, the current legislation before Parliament in Uganda is vile. It is abhorrent. It is offensive. It offends Canadian values. It offends decency.
We strongly condemn that and the Prime Minister will make that strong condemnation as well.

John Baird – champion of queer rights abroad. Who knew?

Sartorially speaking, it was a bit of a meh day, though I will say Claude Bachand, who has been getting a lot of screen time as the Bloc’s defence critic, had the shiniest blue tie I’ve ever seen – not that it’s such a bad thing.

For everyone who starts to bitch and moan that it cost Canadian taxpayers $2.5 million to pay host to Prince Charles and Camilla, I will remind them – the Prince is our future head of state. He spent 11 days touring the country, and discharging his duties as Colonel-in-Chief of several of our Canadian regiments. It cost our taxpayers $4.5 million to play host to Barack Obama for but a few hours. Put into that context, the Prince was a downright bargain.

Elsewhere, David Mulroney testified before the special Afghanistan committee, and confirmed a few things.

As mentioned, Ignatieff outlined his the new and improved Liberal environmental plan, which promises cap-and-trade, tougher emissions standards, a 1990 baseline (but no mention of just what the target is), credit for Quebec and Manitoba’s early start on their reductions, and not waiting for the Americans to unveil their plan first. But can they deliver, or will there be a new version by election time? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

With it being the International Day Against Violence Against Women, and the kick-off of sixteen days of action, the NDP’s Libby Davies kicked off several Members’ Statements to mark the occasion.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the NDP we recognize the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and call for an end to violence against women. In our communities, our homes and on our streets, too many women still live in fear, live without safe and secure housing or a safe place to turn in times of crisis.
In Vancouver's downtown east side and on B.C.'s Highway of Tears, women, mostly aboriginal women, are disappearing and dying in frightening numbers, but their courageous sisters are standing up and speaking out against this epidemic. We honour the women who are daring to speak out.
I recently hosted former Afghan MP Malalai Joya for her book launch in Vancouver. Ms. Joya is a woman who has dared to speak out, as her book notes. Ms. Joya faces death threats and suspension from Parliament for her outspoken criticism of the warlord-dominated government, yet she continues to raise her voice for women's rights and an independent and democratic Afghanistan.
We have the capacity and the resources to end violence against women everywhere. We call on the government to make doing so a political priority.

The Commons also returned to full strength as the other three winners of the by-elections took their seats, being brought before the mace by their party leaders. Normally it’s the party leader and the whip that does this, but Harper had other ideas. In this case, he brought them up with the regional minister for each riding victory – Peter MacKay and Christian Paradis representing Atlantic Canada and Quebec respectively.

Question Period began with Ignatieff asking why it took eighteen months to act between the reports of torture in Afghan jails and altering our transfer agreements. Harper claimed that reports are not proof – and immediately the opposition shouts of “Cover up!” began. In his supplemental answer, Harper then accused the Liberals of slandering soldiers, when that’s never been the issue.

Irwin Cotler was also in full Internationally-Renowned-Human-Rights-Lawyer mode as he questioned the government on the reports of the Afghan Human Rights Commission with respect to the torture of prisoners. Duceppe continued the detainee questions, while Layton again broke ranks on his first question to mention the YWCA’s Rose Campaign, and to ask about the murdered or missing aboriginal women in this country. Harper responded that violence against all Canadians was unacceptable, and hey, look at all the tough-on-crime legislation they’ve put forward.

Harper did stand up to answer another question later on, this time from David McGuinty who wondered if he’d be attending the Copenhagen conference as all of the other world leaders would be. Harper said that he would be – much to everyone’s surprise – but he also said that Obama had not yet confirmed his presence at the leaders’ conference.

A government suck-up question from Patricia Davidson asked about violence against women, and Helena Guergis stood up to talk about all of their great tough-on-crime measures. Lise Zarac and Anita Neville both stood up to decry Maurice Vellacott’s recent erroneous statements about abortion, respectively asking the Ministers of Health and Justice to denounce his comments. Both times, Guergis stood up to remind the House that Members are required to have their own opinions, while on the supplemental, talked up just how much money the government was spending on Status of Women. Also, they’ve doubled the chocolate ration this week from four grammes to two – doubleplusgood!

Sartorially speaking, I must give snaps to Scott Brison’s brilliant purple tie. He often has great ties, but this one caught my eye immediately. Libby Davies looked quite nice in a simple white coat over a brown dress – with no scarf for a change. The style citation goes out to Gail Shea for her boxy and very loud fuchsia jacket. The Megan Leslie outfit watch reports a rather unusual (and frightening) floral-printed ruffled top under a black suit with her dark green heels.

After Question Period, the special Afghanistan committee heard from two former generals (including Rick Hillier) and one current general on the Colvin testimony. This as word was getting out that Peter MacKay’s office certainly knew about the allegations. The generals three denied that there was credible evidence of torture – they would have done something if there had been – and yet the committee still hasn’t seen unredacted documentary evidence, so how could they be convinced? And Richard Colvin? Has been barred from submitting his own memos to the committee by the Justice Department. Because this is the government of transparency and accountability.

Up today – Michael Ignatieff is due to deliver the Liberal position on the environment, climate change and the clean economy. Just what will he say? Will he back away from Stéphane Dion’s legacy of the environment?