Conservatives barred from using rule that lets MPs bill taxpayers for home internet
Global News
The rule applies to all MPs and their offices, but the Conservatives say no caucus member or employee can use it following a discussion with Leader Pierre Poilievre.
Members of Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative caucus have been told they are no longer allowed to charge taxpayers for home internet services.
A breakdown of recent expenses shows 31 Tory MPs have charged taxpayers for home internet services for either themselves or staff, according to an analysis by The Canadian Press. The information was first reported by the National Post.
The MPs include former interim party leader Candice Bergen and fellow Manitoba MP James Bezan, along with Calgary MP Michelle Rempel Garner and British Columbia representative Mark Strahl.
A spokeswoman for the House of Commons said the practice is allowed under existing rules for members of Parliament, who can expense the fees through their office budgets.
As was the case for many Canadians, the COVID-19 pandemic forced MPs and their employees to work from home. But their offices have now been back open for months, and no health restrictions currently require them to work out of a home office.
No rules have been broken, but the opposition whip’s office told MPs that a new policy has been set for caucus, according to a recent email obtained by The Canadian Press.
The email said it has been decided that no caucus member or employee can expense home internet costs, following a discussion with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
The message said if the party expects Canadians to see Conservatives as responsible financial stewards, “we must lead by example.” It adds that the party plans to propose that the current House of Commons policy end for MPs of all stripes.
Chief Ross Perley says the community is hurting and feeling anxious following Bronson Paul's death.
The online attacks are designed by cyber criminals to lock private data from Canadian businesses and individuals until payment demands are met.
The company said the incident is currently under investigation and information is limited, but it confirms that local authorities have been notified.
A crowd of Ubisoft workers and supporters held a rally, urging the video game developer to reopen the studio that was closed earlier this month after a successful union drive.
American Olympian Katie Uhlaender was hoping to be the first woman to compete in the Winter Games six times for the U.S., but fell just short of qualifying.
The U.S. currently has multiple rounds of tariffs on key sectors of the Canadian economy, including steel, aluminum, autos and lumber.
Cree Nation of Mistissini Chief Michael Petawabano is urging members of the community to stay in their homes and lock their doors as police investigate.
Exceptions under the trade deal, known as USMCA in the U.S. and CUSMA in Canada, protect Canada from the heaviest impacts of U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs.
Sixteen people were killed and 13 were injured when a truck driver went through a stop sign and into the path of the junior hockey team's bus at a rural intersection.
Though a complete freeze is near impossible, a mixture of frozen surface water and mist can create the appearance that Niagara Falls has frozen.
The local police say they were called to a private residence in the Atikamekw community of Manawan on Sunday, and discovered two bodies.
The Ipsos poll conducted exclusively for Global News also found half of Canadians would trust Prime Minister Mark Carney to handle a potential military threat from the U.S.
Four adults face charges after a trespassing investigation at Western University led to a loaded firearm and hazardous chemicals near campus, police say.