Cabinet staffers testifying at the House Affairs Committee confirmed Liberal and NDP MPs held closed door meetings to rewrite the Elections Act. One revision guaranteed parliamentary pensions for dozens of MPs, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. “We attended a meeting where the substance of that proposal was discussed,” Allen Sutherland, assistant cabinet secretary, testified at Thursday’s committee meeting. Few records were kept, he said. “My understanding is the briefing was primarily oral.” .Trudeau Liberals push Elections Act amendments as part of agreement with NDP .Sutherland confirmed only Liberal and NDP MPs and staff attended secret meetings on drafts of Bill C-65 An Act To Amend The Canada Elections Act prior to its introduction last March 20.Clause 5.2 of the bill would change the statutory date of the next election currently fixed for Monday, October 20 to October 27, a measure that would benefit 28 Liberal and New Democrat MPs.Sutherland said he recalled little about the meetings.“Did you or anyone else in your office participate in meetings between Liberals and the NDP?” asked Conservative MP Luc Berthold.“I attended I believe two meetings of that kind,” replied Sutherland.“Didn’t you find it unusual that a discussion about amending the Elections Act included only two political parties and excluded the others?” asked Berthold.“It’s important to understand what my role was in those meetings which was simply to provide background information,” replied Sutherland.“You nevertheless suggested amendments to the legislation including a change of dates?” asked Berthold.“My role was to provide information,” replied Sutherland.“Can you provide the committee with the dates of these meetings and who was involved?” asked Berhold.“I can’t offhand,” replied Sutherland. “I can look.”.Trudeau vows to lead into next election.Legislators require a minimum six years’ service to qualify for pension benefits currently averaging $77,900 a year under the Members Of Parliament Retiring Allowances Act. Two-term MPs first elected in 2019 do not qualify until Tuesday, October 21, 2025, a day after the fixed election date.“Who’s idea was it to back the election up by a week from October 20 to October 27?” asked Conservative MP Eric Duncan.“You have a lot of cultural and religious observances that take place in the fall,” replied Sutherland.“It was found October 20 which is the fixed election date occurs at the same time as Diwali, the Festival of Lights.”Diwali is observed by Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists. It is not a federal statutory holiday.“The date was moved not for any cultural event,” said Duncan.“It was moved for purely political purposes in terms of pension protection of Liberals and New Democrats. Conservatives want an election now.”“We’ve now got confirmation the NDP were invited and provided briefings with Liberals in advance of proposed changes to Canada’s election laws,” said Duncan.“Conservatives were not invited to those briefings. The Bloc Québécois were not invited to those briefings.”“We’re going to find out who was at those meetings and when they took place. It is completely unacceptable.”Bloc Québécois MP Marilene Gill said there was no reason to change the Act. Observant Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists could vote in advance polls, she said.“People can find other days on which to vote,” said Gill.“This measure is useless. People can still exercise their right to vote. This will do nothing.”.Farm free traders fight ‘political’ dairy bill that could trigger an election.Liberal MP Mark Gerretsen dismissed the criticism as a “partisan narrative.” Changing the election date was not nefarious, he insisted.“It was based on trying to observe religious holidays,” said Gerretsen.“If you are against the legislation and you don’t believe in it, fine, vote against it.”“Give us the reasons you’re against it. But not everything is scandalous. Not everything is scandalous, okay? I know Conservatives like to try to make absolutely every single issue around here to be some scandal, but that’s just not the reality.”Liberal MP Sherry Romanado said several Conservative two-termers would also benefit from Bill C-65. “There are 32 Conservatives who were elected in 2019 who would benefit from this,” she said.“Conservatives voted against this bill,” replied Conservative Berthold.“We are confident of winning re-election. We don’t need this change.”Records show three cabinet members would automatically qualify for pensions under the revised Act: Treasury Board President Anita Anand, Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault and Tourism Minister Soraya Martinez Ferrada.Another 25 Liberal and New Democrat MPs would also benefit from the bill: Jenica Atwin, Taylor Bachrach, Yvan Baker, Jamie Battiste, Rachel Bendayan, Kody Blois, Elisabeth Briere, Laurel Collins, Han Dong, Leah Gazan, Matthew Green, Helena Jaczek, Irek Kusmierczyk, Marie-France Lalonde, Patricia Lattanzio, Tim Louis, Lyndsay Mathyssen, Heather McPherson, Marcus Powlowski, Maninder Sidhu, Ryan Turnbull, Tony Van Bynen, Adam van Koeverden, Patrick Weiler and Sameer Zuberi.
