Permitless concealed carry in North Carolina faces uphill battle after some GOP pushback
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A bill to let adults carry concealed handguns without a permit cleared the North Carolina legislature on Wednesday, however the path to joining the majority of U.S. states with similar laws remains uncertain.
The GOP-backed legislation faces a likely veto from Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, as well as pushback from a handful of Republicans who voted against the legislation in the state House. House Speaker Destin Hall acknowledged those concerns after Wednesday's vote.
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Ottawa Citizen
25 minutes ago
- Ottawa Citizen
'We need to move': Liberals defend plan to ram through major projects bill before Canada Day
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney's government is coming under fire for its plan to push its internal trade and major projects bill through the House of Commons next week at high speed. Article content Government House leader Steven MacKinnon has put a motion on notice that would push Bill C-5 through the House of Commons by the end of next week at an unusually rapid pace — leaving only a few hours to hear from civil society groups, stakeholders and experts. Article content Article content Article content If the motion is adopted, it would quickly move through debate at second reading stage and a vote, after which the bill would be referred to a House of Commons committee. Article content Article content Members of the committee would meet Tuesday and Wednesday to gather evidence from witnesses, before undertaking a clause-by-clause consideration of the legislation. Article content The expectation would be for the committee's report to be presented to the House on Thursday, and debate and a vote at third reading to happen on Friday — which is the last calendar day before all MPs will be going back to their respective ridings for the summer. C-5 would grant the government sweeping powers to quickly approve major natural resource and infrastructure projects once cabinet deems them to be in the national interest. Article content The legislation also looks to break down internal trade barriers and make it easier for workers to take jobs in other provinces. Article content Article content MacKinnon rejected a call from the Bloc Québécois this week to split the landmark legislation in two — so the House could speed through the less contentious internal-trade provisions while putting the controversial major projects portion under the microscope. Article content Luc Berthold, the deputy House leader for the Conservatives, declined to say if his party would support the fast-tracking of C-5 and said discussions between all parties were ongoing. Article content 'When a minority government decides it wants certain things, it needs to negotiate with all parties. So, we're awaiting the result of these negotiations,' he said on Thursday. Article content Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet said his party would oppose the motion 'with vigour.' Article content 'The kind of impetuosity from the prime minister to supercharge the legislative agenda in the short term and to bypass, from the very start of his mandate, the usual parliamentary rules are a matter of concern,' said Blanchet in French during a press conference.
Winnipeg Free Press
35 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘Shocked' and ‘sickened' Democrats react with fury to video of Padilla's removal
WASHINGTON (AP) — When videos first rocketed around the Internet Thursday afternoon showing security officers forcibly removing Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla from a press conference with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in California, senators in both parties were already gathered together for a long series of votes. There are strict rules against using cellphones on the Senate floor. But senators immediately shared the video with each other anyway. 'I showed it to as many people as I could,' said Democratic Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware. That included Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., who she said seemed 'as shocked as we were.' The videos, which showed officers aggressively pushing Padilla out of Noem's press conference and eventually restraining him on the floor outside the room, shook Senate Democrats to the core. Beaten down politically for months as President Donald Trump has returned to power and ruled Washington with a united Republican Congress, the Democrats' anger exploded as they skipped their traditional Thursday flights home and stayed on the floor to speak out against the incident, calling it the latest and most inflammatory example of what they say is Trump's gradual assault on democracy. The incident came just days after U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver was indicted on federal charges alleging she assaulted and interfered with immigration officers outside a detention center in New Jersey. 'What was really hard for me to see was that a member of this body was driven to his knees and made to kneel before authorities,' said New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, his raised voice booming through the Senate chamber walls. 'This is a test. This is a crossroads. This is a day in which the character of this body will be defined.' Washington Sen. Patty Murray said it was the closest she had come to tearing up on the floor in her 32 years in the Senate. Maryland Sen. Angela Alsobrooks said she was so angry she was shaking. Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine waved around a pocket Constitution and said the administration is trying to make Padilla and others 'afraid to exercise their rights.' Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said what he saw 'sickened my stomach' and demanded immediate answers 'to what the hell went on.' Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren called for an investigation. 'This is what a dictatorship looks like,' said Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen. 'We have to stand up.' Pleading for Republicans to speak out against the incident, New Jersey Sen. Andy Kim said that 'this is not a time to put your finger up in the air and figure out which way the wind is blowing, to try to think through what type of reaction might come from the White House if we speak out against this.' Senate Republicans were mostly silent on the situation. Thune said that he would have a response, 'but I want to know the facts, find out exactly what happened.' Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said she had seen a clip of the video on the Senate floor and it was 'disturbing,' though she said she didn't know the details of what came before it. 'It looks like he's being manhandled and physically removed, and it's hard to imagine a justification for that,' Collins said. Other Republicans were less sympathetic. Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the No. 2 Republican, raised his voice when asked about the incident and said that Padilla should have been at work in Washington. He said he had not watched the video. 'Was he being disruptive?' asked South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, who also had not seen the video. 'He got what he wanted, he's on video.' Padilla was forcibly removed from the press conference after introducing himself and saying he had questions for Secretary Noem amid immigration raids in his state that have led to protests. Video shows a Secret Service agent on Noem's security detail grabbing the California senator by his jacket and shoving him from the room as he yells, 'Hands off!' Later video shows Padilla on his knees and pushed to the ground with several officers on top of him. In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said Padilla 'chose disrespectful political theater and interrupted a live news conference.' They defended the officers' conduct and claimed erroneously that Padilla did not identify himself and said Secret Service believed him to be an attacker. The Democrats described Padilla, the son of immigrants from Mexico, as a 'kind and gentle person' and said that disrespect is not a crime in the United States. They also invoked the end of Trump's last presidency, when a mob of his supporters attacked the Capitol and sent them running. 'I have never, ever — other than January 6 — been so outraged at the conduct of an administration,' said Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz.
Vancouver Sun
an hour ago
- Vancouver Sun
'We need to move': Liberals defend plan to ram through major projects bill before Canada Day
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney's government is coming under fire for its plan to push its internal trade and major projects bill through the House of Commons next week at high speed. Government House leader Steven MacKinnon has put a motion on notice that would push Bill C-5 through the House of Commons by the end of next week at an unusually rapid pace — leaving only a few hours to hear from civil society groups, stakeholders and experts. If the motion is adopted, it would quickly move through debate at second reading stage and a vote, after which the bill would be referred to a House of Commons committee. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Members of the committee would meet Tuesday and Wednesday to gather evidence from witnesses, before undertaking a clause-by-clause consideration of the legislation. The expectation would be for the committee's report to be presented to the House on Thursday, and debate and a vote at third reading to happen on Friday — which is the last calendar day before all MPs will be going back to their respective ridings for the summer. C-5 would grant the government sweeping powers to quickly approve major natural resource and infrastructure projects once cabinet deems them to be in the national interest. The legislation also looks to break down internal trade barriers and make it easier for workers to take jobs in other provinces. MacKinnon rejected a call from the Bloc Québécois this week to split the landmark legislation in two — so the House could speed through the less contentious internal-trade provisions while putting the controversial major projects portion under the microscope. Luc Berthold, the deputy House leader for the Conservatives, declined to say if his party would support the fast-tracking of C-5 and said discussions between all parties were ongoing. 'When a minority government decides it wants certain things, it needs to negotiate with all parties. So, we're awaiting the result of these negotiations,' he said on Thursday. Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet said his party would oppose the motion 'with vigour.' 'The kind of impetuosity from the prime minister to supercharge the legislative agenda in the short term and to bypass, from the very start of his mandate, the usual parliamentary rules are a matter of concern,' said Blanchet in French during a press conference. 'I would respectfully suggest that Mr. Carney's entourage inform him that one is not supposed to work in such a cavalier manner when facing a Parliament fresh from the oven,' he added. NDP MP Leah Gazan also expressed concern with the rapid pace at which the bill will be studied and what she said is a 'clear violation' of Indigenous peoples' modern treaties. 'I understand the need to respond quickly to the threats coming from the States, but the bill that's being proposed by Prime Minister Carney isn't in fact going to build the economy. It's going to wind up having different economic initiatives ending up in the courts.' Gazan said she is calling on the prime minister to 'slow down' the legislative process. Pressed on the subject during a press conference on wildfires, Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson defended the urgency with which the government is moving forward with it. 'I think the prime minister has been clear: we are in a trade war. We need to move as quickly as possible. Canadians are losing their jobs today,' he said. Hodgson said the bill will create employment opportunities for people who are facing the prospect of losing their jobs and stimulate the economy during the ongoing trade war. Asked by National Post why the government cannot wait until the fall to pass C-5 in order to properly consult with stakeholders and Indigenous peoples, Hodgson did not mince words. 'You should ask that to all the auto workers who are losing their jobs, to all the aluminum workers who are losing their jobs, to all the steel workers who are losing their jobs, to all the forestry products, people in small towns across the country who are losing their jobs.' 'Every day, our economy is being attacked. Every day, we are losing jobs. We need to fight for those people. We need to move,' he insisted. For its part, the Senate adopted a motion on Thursday to conduct a pre-study of C-5 from Monday to Wednesday next week. The Senate will hear from ministers Chrystia Freeland, Dominic LeBlanc and Rebecca Alty, as well as a host of other witnesses on the bill. The Senate has also agreed to speed up debate and votes, after C-5 is sent to the upper chamber, and ensures a final vote take place on Friday, June 27, at the latest. Carney, who has vowed repeatedly to eliminate interprovincial trade barriers by Canada Day, would therefore fulfill his promise. National Post, with files from the Canadian Press calevesque@ Get more deep-dive National Post political coverage and analysis in your inbox with the Political Hack newsletter, where Ottawa bureau chief Stuart Thomson and political analyst Tasha Kheiriddin get at what's really going on behind the scenes on Parliament Hill every Wednesday and Friday, exclusively for subscribers. Sign up here . Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our newsletters here .
