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For years, Justin Trudeaus Liberal government has whitewashed concerns about and refused to terminate a $14-billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia. The Trudeau government is now actively working to secure yet another contract between a Canadian arms manufacturer and an antidemocratic Gulf state. This time the prospective buyer is Qatar.

As with the Saudi deal, the pending agreement with Qatar signals the Trudeau governments prioritization of Canadas military-industrial base over its purported concerns about human rights and progressive values. It is also yet another reminder that Canadas geopolitical and military priorities are not motivated by concerns for advancing liberal democracy, despite lip service that Trudeau pays to that claimed objective whenever it is convenient.

Finally, the deal further belies the Trudeau governments representation of itself as a reluctant bystander to the Saudi exports. Liberal ministers have repeatedly suggested that they wanted to find a way out of the deal, but lamented that they were hamstrung by the fact that killing it would carry the cost of the full value of the contract. If Trudeau truly cared about keeping Canadian-made weapons out of the hands of authoritarian states never a credible proposition in the first place then his government would not be actively lobbying for a new deal with a similarly antidemocratic regime.

Ahead of his visit to the FIFA World Cup in Doha last year, International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan was instructed to lobby for a potential deal between the Canadian division of General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) which exports light-armored vehicles to Saudi Arabia and the Qatari military. In a briefing note prepared for a meeting with Qatars foreign affairs minister and deputy prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Sajjan was told to explain that Canada was pleased that GDLS is interested in working with the Qatari Military for the supply of light-armored vehicles (LAVs) as well as other opportunities.

This partnership would bring Canada and Qatar significant benefits, the briefing note added. Canada sincerely hope[s] to see this opportunity for cooperation between our countries realized. Sajjans itinerary also indicates that the day before his meeting with Al-Thani, the Canadian minister attended a closed-door meeting with the Canadian Business Council in Qatar at the Canadian embassy, where he was expected to meet GDLS representatives. Further details about the LAV deal, including if and when it will be finalized, have not been disclosed.

Light-armored vehicles are recognized for their versatility by arms monitoring experts, and have been used by governments to quash domestic unrest, such as the Bahrain government during the 2011 and 2012 protests.

The revelation that this kind of deal has been in the works did not come as a surprise. Qatar was added to Canadas Automatic Firearms Country Control List (AFCCL) in August 2022, suggesting that a major deal was under discussion, as reported by theGlobe and Mail last December.

Qatar is undergoing a massive investment in its armed forces. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), arms imports to the Gulf state spiked by 311 percent between 2013 to 2017 and 2018 to 2022, making it the third-largest importer in the world between 2018 and 2022. Indeed, Sajjans briefing note ominously stated that Qatars military modernization is motivated in part by a desire to develop comparable capabilities to western nations, especially for purposes of multi-national deployments and inter-operability. This assessment reads like diplomatic speak for the type of foreign interventions that have led to massive bloodshed and destabilization in the region.

Qatar initially deployed one thousand troops to support Saudi Arabias murderous bombing campaign in Yemen, contributing to a war whose death toll resulted in an estimated 377,000 deaths by the end of 2021. Following a diplomatic row with the Saudis that emerged in 2017, Qatar withdrew its forces from Yemen, where the war now, thankfully, looks to be coming to an end. However, Qatar has a track record of meddling in other regional conflicts, such as in Libya and Syria.

In addition to its rising militarization, Qatar has a dire domestic human rights record. In particular, its poor treatment of migrant foreign workers came under scrutiny during the World Cup, with reforms that were promised ahead of the tournament failing to end the exploitation and abuse. According to Amnesty International, the Qatari state criminalizes same-sex relationships, stifles critical voices, and maintains laws that require women to seek permission from male guardians to make basic life decisions. Concerns about advancing human rights were absent in the list of objectives laid out in Sajjans strategic overview for his visit to Qatar.

Importantly, arms deals such as the proposed LAV agreement are not struck to simply bolster armories Qatar already has a surfeit of international suppliers and weapons and the profits of the arms industry. Such deals are also key to gaining political leverage and regional power projection. By pressing for such a deal, Canada is evidently seeking to strengthen its diplomatic ties with an authoritarian state in a region where past Canadian influence has helped fuel misery and violence.

The pending deal with Qatar follows a similar and highly controversial agreement between GDLS and the Saudis. Despite Canada and Saudi Arabia being locked, at least publicly, in a diplomatic spat since 2018, the Canadian-made LAVs have continued to flow apace to the Saudi monarchy. As of last year, the value of exports to the kingdom reached hundreds of millions of dollars per month. In 2021, Saudi Arabia was by far Canadas largest non-US arms export destination, with sales totaling $1.7 billion.

The LAV deal with Saudi Arabia was first arranged in 2014 under the watch of then prime minister Stephen Harper who has shamelessly bragged that he is proud of having brokered the deal but was given the final green light by the Trudeau government. A 2016 document explaining the Liberal governments decision to go ahead with the deal stated that these proposed exports are consistent with Canadas defense and security interests in the Middle East. The document further claimed there was no evidence to suggest that the LAVs would be used by the Saudis to commit human rights abuses, despite the kingdoms dire humanitarian record and campaign in Yemen.

The document also stressed the size of GDLSs industrial operations within Canada, stating that the company anchors Canadas defense industry cluster in southern Ontario, and supports a supply chain of over 500 Canadian firms. But apart from the industrial value of the deal and its bolstering of Canadas arms industry for the specific benefit of supplying the Canadian Armed Forces the document called Saudi Arabia an important and stable ally and even praised it for countering instability in Yemen.

In March 2018, the Trudeau government continued to defend the deal, with the prime minister himself stating that our approach fully meets our national obligations and Canadian laws. Five months later, public-facing relations between the two countries soured dramatically when then foreign minister Chrystia Freeland called on the Saudis to immediately release dissidents Samarand Raif Badawi from jail (a call which, it turned out, had been part of a longer push for their release behind the scenes). Despite an aggressive public reaction from the Saudis, however, the LAV deal was unaffected.

The Trudeau government came under even more pressure when the Saudi monarchy ordered the brutal assassination and dismemberment of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018. By this time, the prime minister had begun blaming the previous Conservative government for making it very difficult to suspend or leave that contract, even as he insisted that he was looking for a way out of the deal. Trudeau stated that he could not divulge details about the contract but hinted that I do not want to leave Canadians holding a billion-dollar bill.

The steep cost of terminating the contract became an oft-repeated talking point by Trudeau government ministers, even as they temporarily suspended new export permits for military goods to Saudi Arabia and announced a review of the existing deal in response to the killing of Khashoggi. GDLS itself, apparently spooked by mounting public criticism of the LAV deal, warned the Liberal government that canceling the agreement would cost billions in financial penalties and jobs.

As it turned out, GDLS had little to worry about. In 2019, a Global Affairs Canada briefing note for Freeland claimed that officials found no credible evidence linking Canadian exports of military equipment or other controlled items to any human rights or humanitarian law violations committed by the Saudi government. Despite acknowledging reports that older Canadian-made LAVs had been deployed along the Saudi-Yemini border, the note claimed: There are no confirmed reports of Canadian-made military equipment being deployed by KSA on Yemeni territory. This statement would be rebutted by arms monitoring group Project Ploughshares and Amnesty International.

In 2021, those groups published a report that picked apart the Trudeau governments flawed analysis of the deal and accused it of violating international law by arming the Saudi monarchy. There is persuasive evidence that weapons exported from Canada to KSA [Kingdom of Saudi Arabia], including LAVs [light-armored vehicles] and sniper rifles, have been diverted for use in the war in Yemen, the report found. The Trudeau government, the reports authors explained, was using an intentionally narrow focus to study the risks of the deal that completely misse[d] the mark on Canadas obligations under the Arms Trade Treaty (which Canada acceded to after Khashoggis death).

However, more pressing concerns appeared to be at play in the Trudeau governments decision-making. Notably, the 2019 briefing note stressed:

Canada-KSA bilateral tensions and the moratorium on the issuance of new permits are having a negative impact on Canadian exporters Engagement by departmental officials with 20 companies that have a history of exporting to KSA suggests that approximately $2 billion in trade has been affected since August 2018.

In April 2020, with public attention conveniently diverted by the chaos of the pandemics first wave, the Trudeau government lifted its temporary freeze on new permits for military exports to Saudi Arabia and announced it had renegotiated some of the terms of the GDLS deal. At this point, the Liberal government revealed for the first time that it would be responsible for the full $14-billion value of the deal if it terminated the agreement. This added a concrete figure to the well-rehearsed talking point that portrayed Trudeau as having his hands economically tied on the matter. And so the exports continued.

The pending deal with Qatar, likely to be the next authoritarian destination for a large chunk of Canadas arms export industry, flies in the face of Trudeaus cheerful branding of Canada as a world champion for human rights. But it also counters his governments claims that it was reluctantly bound by the risk of steep economic costs if it canceled the deal with Saudi Arabia. Just like the Saudi deal, the push for a new deal with Qatar shows that the demands of the arms industrys profitability trump respect for democracy and any desire to end human suffering.

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The Trudeau Liberals Can't Stop Themselves From Selling Arms to ... - Jacobin magazine

Rest assured, the big end of town hasnt completely abandoned the Libs, although some seem almost embarrassed to be funding a party gasping for relevance.

How else to explain two donations worth $6000 from the shadowy-sounding Oryxium Investments a company that just happens to be controlled by Steven and David Lowy, of the shopping-centre dynasty.

Billionaire Caledonia fund manager Will Vicars, who gave $7000 on election eve, was less opaque about his donation. As was Sydney Roosters chair Nick Politis, whose $7000 beat the $5000 given to Labor by the South Sydney Rabbitohs, adding a whole new layer to that storied NRL rivalry.

Philanthropist John B. Fairfax, of the family who once owned this masthead, chipped in $1500, which might cause some intergenerational tension given his son Nick Fairfax is a big teal donor.

Speaking of teals, we were intrigued to see Extend Your Edge Pty Ltd, a company linked to Kirsty Gold, wife of private equity director Peter Gold, which had funded Zali Steggalls first Warringah campaign, giving $7000 to the Libs.

A few ex-pollies went through a bit of cash. Former Howard government minister Santo Santoro, who quit politics after a scandalous failure to declare his shareholdings, made three donations worth $5000 in the campaigns final days.

Kerry Chikarovski, one of the few Liberal elders to show up at Dom Perrottets losing party, coughed up $1500, while Kathryn Greiner, ex-wife of former premier Nick Greiner, gave $2000.

The rapid-delivery service Milkrun closed its doors last week, surprising no one whod been paying attention.

But the #thoughtleadership of Australias start-up world appeared affronted at how the collapse was covered in the mainstream media.

Adam Jacobs, a co-founder of The Iconic, and Brad Lindenberg, who made a motser from his QuadPay buy-now-pay-later company, trotted out the usual platitudes about Australias tall poppy obsession.

Former Big Brother contestant Michael Beveridge was at it too, posting a picture over the weekend of him giving the finger to Milkrun founder Dany Milham as the two hung out at Bondi sea baths.

Picture: Dany Milham from the AFRs perspective, wrote Beveridge, who used to work for Milham at his Koala mattress company. The caption also included a bit about dogshit media and, in a burst of originality, tall poppy pile-ons.

Maybe CBD has been in the game too long, but one slightly odd piece aside the Fins coverage of the collapse hasnt looked too bad to us. Milham certainly hasnt suffered the Joe Aston blowtorch applied in recent days to aviation heavyweights Alan Joyce and Jayne Hrdlicka and Qantas and Virgin are still in business, last time we checked.

Jacobs, Lindenberg and Beveridge are all entitled to go public in defence of their mates. But wed like to hear a bit more from those investors including Atlassian billionaires Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar, who pumped $86 million into Milkrun last year and who look certain to have done most, if not all, their dough.

CBD was intrigued at the choice of venue for the latest unfortunate coming together of independent senator Lidia Thorpe and a smartphone set to record.

Maxines Gentlemans Club on Sydney Road in Brunswick the scene of an altercation between the former Greens senator and a group of men early on Sunday morning is a bit of a storied institution that once traded as a franchise of US smut king Larry Flynts Hustler empire and is owned by Melbourne adult-industry legend Maxine Fensom.

The club lost no time on Monday morning slapping a lifetime ban on Thorpe, which is kinda tragic because Fensom has a teeny tiny role in the senators political origin story.

Back in 2002, the club owner ran in the state election for the seat of Melbourne then a safer-than-safe Labor lock held by Bronwyn Pike but now a Greens stronghold with Fensom garnering a modest 254 primary votes.

But she did direct her preferences to an up-and-comer called Richard Di Natale as he laid the groundwork to turn Melbourne Green and for his career to take him to the top of the party which he led for five years before resigning as leader in 2020, with the party in its wisdom handing Di Natales senate seat to Thorpe.

Small world, eh?

While were on the subject of Thorpe, readers are reminded that its not too late to apply for the plum role of media adviser to the senator.

Applications close today, so if youre quick and you make the grade, who knows? It could be you fielding the calls from journalists next time theres a public blow-up.

Former Bill Shorten chief of staff Ryan Liddell keeps winning in the lobbying game, with his firm Principle Advisory recently picking up seasoned operator Kathryn Conroy, erstwhile government relations director at beer giants Lion.

Like clockwork, Lion was added to Principles books theyd already been working together in South Australia but the boozer landed on the federal lobbyist register last week.

On paper, that relationship looks a little awkward for one of Principles other clients, DrinkWise, the booze-industry-backed body telling Aussies to cut down on the grog not completely but just a little. Lion, meanwhile, is pushing for cuts to beer taxes and other such favourable policy settings. Who said lobbying didnt require a bit of dexterity!

But while DrinkWise takes great pains to reinforce its independence from the booze sector, the fine print makes it pretty clear the companys funded by alcohol companies, including Lion. And, it seems, advised by the same firm.

We brought word yesterday that Gladys Berejiklian would be joining her barrister boyfriend Arthur Moses at the annual Vinnies CEO Sleepout this winter.

Turns out it was a false alarm, with the charitys people telling us that the former premier had pulled out late last week. Amid all the hullabaloo around the Sleepouts launch, Vinnies had neglected to sort out that omission on its website.

Were told the Optus executive wont be available and will be finding other ways to support Moses.

The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. .

Originally posted here:
Backing a loser: Liberals finally declare donations from big end of town - Sydney Morning Herald

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during an announcement at the offices of telecommunications firm Ericsson Canada in Kanata, Ont. on April 17.LARS HAGBERG/Reuters

Re Macrons faux pas and Beijings trap (April 14): The most troubling aspect of Emmanuel Macrons efforts to enlist Chinese help in ending the war in Ukraine is the price he is willing to pay, which would be to remain silent about Chinas threatened aggression against Taiwan.

Chinas policy toward Taiwan is motivated by the same sentiment fuelling Russias aggression against Ukraine: Claiming another country as its own, either outright or as a sub-sovereign dependency.

Chinese engagement in any peace process necessarily raises questions about Chinese intentions toward Taiwan. Silence should therefore not be an option.

It not only imperils Taiwan, but also Western efforts to maintain a rule-based system of international relations.

Patrick Bendin Ottawa

Re Fiscal gravity catches up to the Liberals (Editorial, April 18): I only wish the Trudeau Liberals were like Wile E. Coyote and gravity was about to stop them running on air.

Mr. Coyote never catches the elusive prize hes after whereas the Liberals, despite falling off all kinds of fiscal and ethical cliffs, keep getting re-elected.

Until Canadians show some gravitas and send the Liberals packing, why wouldnt they continue to order expensive fiscal plans from the Acme Company?

Rudy Buller Toronto

Re Meet the Chinese billionaire who donated to the Trudeau Foundation (April 17): I find the criticism being levelled at the Trudeau Foundation for this donation to be unfair.

The network of fellows, mentors and scholars convened by the foundation is very diverse and results in exemplary research outcomes that would not be possible without its leadership. When the foundation accepted this donation, the context was different.

As well, some universities across this country have accepted much larger donations than this one to the foundation. Why is there not a clamour of voices speaking up for the unique model that the foundation has developed?

As Stephen Toope, the foundations first president, stated: The growth of social media and the rapid polarization of our political sphere have demonstrated more than ever that debate in the absence of civility can be not only unproductive but hugely damaging.

Ann Dale Trudeau fellow alumna (2004); Canada Research Chair (2014), Royal Roads University Victoria

Re The tide is turning, but the war on drug overdoses is far from over (Editorial, April 17): This is a toxic drug crisis, not just an overdose crisis.

The illegal drug supply is contaminated with opioid analogues such as fentanyl and carfentanyl, and increasingly veterinary tranquilizers and benzodiazepines, which complicate the effects of highly potent and thus highly dangerous opioids.

Yes, we need more access to evidence-based treatment for addiction and mental heath, community supports and supportive housing. But many dependent persons are not wanting treatment. And more heroin-assisted treatment is needed for opioid use disorder, where relapse rates are high.

Mandatory treatment can also increase risks of fatal poisoning postdischarge and has dubious evidence of efficacy. And data show that a significant proportion of these deaths do not involve persons with opioid use disorder.

Without significant changes to drug laws and a rapid expansion of safe supply, in addition to the expansion of effective treatments and supports, I fear we will face many more avoidable deaths.

Perry Kendall CM, OBC, FRCPC; former B.C. provincial health officer Victoria

Re The unseen victims of homeless encampments (April 14): Having followed Reginas Camp Hope saga in 2021, I can say there are certainly unwelcome consequences for those surrounding encampments. We should be both concerned for their wellbeing and appalled by the existence of such tent cities.

However, these are desperate people with often nowhere to go and no one to turn to. Affordable housing availability continues to decrease, shelters are frequently at capacity and few are ever offered a place to stay and turned it down.

Governments should stop encampments from forming in the first place. Greater income supports, access to affordable, stable housing, rent relief and better mental health and addictions supports (among other solutions) would be much sounder policy than waiting for encampments to form, disbanding them and then dusting off our hands.

Long-term and expensive solutions are never politically favourable, but encouraging and supporting human dignity should be.

Luke DeCorby Regina

Re Ottawa restores funding to Hockey Canada with conditions (April 17): It appears that with this decision, like so many involving sexual misconduct allegations, victims are the last to be consulted.

Were these women asked for their views? Were advocates who spend their days and nights trying to end the curse of sexualized wrongdoing invited to lend their expertise?

It seems not. This is part of a larger problem of tone-deafness when it comes to the #MeToo reckoning.

Unlike the United States and other countries, Canada has not yet banned the type of non-disclosure agreements that allowed Hockey Canada to cover up its skeletons. These devices allow perpetrators to flourish in a culture of fear and silence.

Instead of stumbling from crisis to crisis, as it has with scandals in the RCMP, military and Hockey Canada, the government should take a comprehensive and trauma-informed approach to ending gender violence and sexual harassment.

It can start by banning NDAs.

Kathleen Finlay Founder, Zer0Now Campaign Toronto

Re Teck CEO confident biggest B shareholder China Investment Corp. will support split, not side with Glencore (April 18): The significant international interest in the mining assets of Teck Resources is troubling to me.

We have already witnessed a thorough hollowing out of Canadian mining, including Alcan, Falconbridge, Inco and Noranda. More recently, the government was asleep at the switch while Chinese companies acquired significant interests in mineral prospects focused on the new economy and climate change.

Teck, with its experience and shift to copper and other new key minerals, should be considered a key Canadian asset and not be sold. It should be protected under national security provisions, so that the country has the capability to deliver on our new-age mineral promises and climate-related opportunities.

David Drinkwater Victoria

Re Profiles in courage (Editorial cartoon, April 18): It doesnt take courage for Leafs fans to support our team. That loyalty comes straight from the heart.

What takes courage is enduring the onslaught of jibes, jeers and friendly jesting from everyone outside Leafs Nation including, apparently, you!

Jean Mills Guelph, Ont.

Letters to the Editor should be exclusive to The Globe and Mail. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. Keep letters to 150 words or fewer. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. To submit a letter by e-mail, click here: letters@globeandmail.com

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Letters to the editor: 'The Liberals, despite falling off all kinds of fiscal ... - The Globe and Mail

OTTAWA - The Liberal governments controversial online-streaming bill was back in the upper chamber on Tuesday, with one senator who had earlier opposed it saying she expected it to pass.

After more than a year of debate and revisions, Alberta Sen. Paula Simons said she would really like to see Bill C-11 done and dusted this week, and not because she wants to ram it through.

For all the cynicism about the Senate, I think the Senate showed its merits with this bill, Simons said in a recent interview. And I think we did a really good job of debating and discussing it.

Quebec Sen. Marc Gold, the Liberal governments representative in the Senate, said the finish line is in sight after he introduced a motion Tuesday that asked the Senate to adopt the bill so that it can become law.

For Canadas cultural sector, it has been a long road and a long wait, but the finish line is in sight, Gold said.

For many in the industry, an important source of their income is inextricably linked to the passage of this bill.

If passed, Bill C-11 would update broadcasting rules to include online streaming and require tech giants such as YouTube, Netflix and Spotify to make Canadian content available to users in Canada or face steep penalties.

Last month, the House of Commons adopted most of the Senates amendments, which included measures to highlight the promotion of Indigenous languages and Black content creators and a change that sought to reaffirm the independence and freedom of expression of creators.

Senators also tweaked the bill to ensure that funds collected from tech giants would go toward promoting diversity, equity and inclusion.

The bill was subject to especially lengthy debate in the Senate and has sparked criticism from special-interest groups and content creators who feared the bill would cause the government to over-regulate the internet.

All the debate about this bill has been completely polluted and very well-organized by bot campaigns, said Simons, adding that she still gets hundreds of emails weekly from automated campaigns that spread false information about the bill.

People are being sold that this is a censorship bill, or that its like 1984. Its like Stalin. Its like Hitler. Its like the Chinese government. Its all silly, she said.

There were significant flaws in this bill, and weve made them better.

The Liberal bill is supported by the NDP and Bloc Qubcois, but the Conservatives have called it a censorship bill, with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre even holding up George Orwells 1984 science-fiction novel about Big Brother in the House while discussing the bill.

Simons, who said she sought to quiet the firestorm of disinformation surrounding the bill, had endorsed an amendment that would have added further protections for individuals who post content online, from comedy acts to instructional videos.

She said she wanted Canadians to actually talk about whats in the bill, as opposed to giving in to fear-mongering.

Ultimately, the House of Commons rejected the amendment, which was also endorsed by YouTube, because MPs felt it would create a loophole for tech giants to avoid contributing to Canadian content.

Bill C-11 does not and will not apply to user-generated content because, simply put, using a social-media service does not make you a broadcaster, Gold said Tuesday.

Rest assured, the legislation will not interfere with or stifle the expression of Canadian voices.

Because the bill isnt something she agrees with, Simons said she will not support it in the final vote. Still, she said she will cast that vote against it knowing that its passage is assured.

At the end of the day, the government ran on this bill. It was part of their election platform, Simons said the Liberals had promised similar legislation during their previous minority-government mandate.

I think theres also an understanding that there are limits to how much the Senate can push back if this is a hill to die on, or if this is profound public-policy disagreement. And the government at the end of the day has to be responsible for its choices.

When the bill is passed, a policy directive will be issued to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, which will be tasked with enforcing the bills provisions.

The CRTC is also required to consult with the public, and its reports must be made public, thanks to another Senate amendment that was accepted by the House.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 18, 2023.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version misspelled the first name of Sen. Paula Simons, and erroneously reported that she would vote in favour of the bill.

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'Done and dusted': Liberals' controversial online streaming bill back ... - Hamilton Spectator

Published April 19, 2023 5:12 p.m. ET

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In a rare showing of all-party support, the federal government's bill to enact the one-time so-called grocery rebate and roll out $2 billion in urgent health-care funding to the provinces and territories passed all stages in the House of Commons on Wednesday.

MPs agreed to move the legislation, tabled in late March and billed as the Cost of Living Relief Act, No. 3," through all stages of debate and study in one fell swoop. This means the bill is considerably closer to becoming law.

Bill C-46 pulls out two specific elements of the 2023 federal budget that the Liberals wanted to see passed in short order.

It amends the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act to see the provinces and territories receive their one-time cash injection into their health-care systems. As part of the overall funding deals, this federal offer will see an immediate national and "unconditional" $2-billion top-up to the Canada Health Transfer (CHT).

The legislation also looks to implement the one-time $2.5 billion "grocery rebate" for 11 million low- and modest-income Canadians. Not required to be spent at the grocery store, the rebate is a rebrand of the GST rebate, and is being provided through the GST tax credit system. Once passed, eligible couples with two children will receive a payment of up to $467, while eligible seniors will receive up to $225, and eligible singles will receive up to $234.

Reacting to the House's fast-tracking of the bill, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland called it "excellent news."

Now, Bill C-46 is off to the Senate, where it is possible a similar swift passage could be ahead. It is not expected that all parties will be similarly on side with the incoming omnibus budget implementation bill implementing the rest of the Liberals' spending plans. That piece of legislation is likely to have a longer journey through Parliament.

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Grocery rebate bill passes House with all-party support - CTV News