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CBC
4 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
Well-known Sydney tar ponds activist Bruno Marcocchio dies
Social Sharing The environmental activist probably best remembered for leading the fight to clean up the infamous Sydney tar ponds in Nova Scotia has died. Bruno Marcocchio, who believed the remnants of the steel industry in Cape Breton were a danger to people's health and safety, died of cancer on Wednesday, according to family. He was 75. Elizabeth May, the federal Green Party leader, was executive director of the Sierra Club of Canada and worked with Marcocchio, who was Atlantic conservation director for the environmental organization. May said their work started before the tar ponds battle, fighting herbicide spraying and Agent Orange in the 1980s. But for much of the following two decades, Marcocchio was front and centre carrying signs and speaking out at public meetings, pushing for federal remediation of the tar ponds — a toxic, sludge-laden portion of Muggah Creek that contained waste from the coking process that hardened coal for steelmaking. "Bruno's work was really meaningful and important in continuing to fight for a real cleanup," May said. After years of wrangling, the federal government approved a $400-million solidification and stabilization process that included mixing concrete into the sludge, encapsulating the toxins. The area was then covered with topsoil and grass and is now known as Open Hearth Park. May said the process was not a real cleanup, but a coverup. A timeline of the Sydney tar ponds She said Marcocchio was uncompromising and selfless in his drive to raise awareness of the dangers to people's health from having toxic waste in the middle of a community. "He wasn't the only one who knew it, but he was very effective in giving voice to it," she said. Marcocchio was arrested in 2001 during a public meeting in Sydney where the federal government was delivering the results of soil testing in the Whitney Pier neighbourhood next to the tar ponds. "I think his legacy is one that shows one person can make a huge difference," May said. "One voice makes a difference, and even if that voice is occasionally being hauled out of meetings ... more than ever, we need more Bruno Marcocchios in this world." May said she and Marcocchio weren't just colleagues, but close friends. She was also close with Marcocchio's wife, Roberta Bruce, who died in 1992 from cancer. Neal Marcocchio said his mother's death played a part in his father's motivation. "With the Sydney tar ponds, probably losing his wife at a young age was a big factor in him being concerned about the health and safety in Cape Breton with the cleanup and people's health history," he said. His father also opposed oil and gas exploration off western Cape Breton in 2003 and fought for environmental protections for the proposed liquefied natural gas plant in the Strait of Canso in 2006 and the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project in 2012. Marcocchio said he was proud that his father had the courage of his convictions, but said he was also a great hockey dad. Last battle: cancer "He gave me a ton of good advice," Marcocchio said. "He was so helpful and like I had to be accountable in sports and work hard and follow directions." Marcocchio said his father battled cancer for the last seven years, showing the same strength he displayed in his career fighting for the environment. Bruno Marcocchio's daughter, Sara Bruce-Marcocchio, said even though her father was a single parent, she fondly remembers cross-Canada family camping trips. "Dad was an amazing father," she said. "He never skipped a beat and raised us on his own." An obituary with details of a celebration of life is expected to be published next week.
Calgary Herald
7 days ago
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Liberals downplay narrowly lost vote demanding spring budget
OTTAWA — The Liberals downplayed a vote on the throne speech they narrowly lost Monday evening to all the opposition parties which urges the government to present an economic update or a budget before the House of Commons rises for the summer on June 20. Article content Article content The sub-amendment, brought forward by Conservative interim leader Andrew Scheer, called for a 'firm commitment' to present a fiscal overview of the country's finances this spring 'that incorporates measures aimed at unleashing Canada's economic potential.' Article content Article content It was adopted Monday by 166 votes — comprised of the Conservatives, the Bloc Québécois, the NDP and Green Party's Elizabeth May — against 164 Liberal votes. Article content Article content It is, however, a non-binding vote, meaning that the government is under no obligation to present a spring economic update or a budget. But the vote in this new minority Parliament showed how opposition parties can aspire to go up against the government and its razor-thin margin in the House. Article content Mark Gerretsen, the chief government whip who is responsible for ensuring that Liberal MPs attend and vote in the way the party desires, insisted nothing went wrong. Article content 'We knew the outcome of what that vote was going to be,' he told reporters on Tuesday. Article content Gerretsen said Liberals have 169 MPs, one of whom is the House Speaker, and four MPs did not vote because of 'paired abstentions.' Those happen when parties agree to have a member sit out a vote because someone from another party is not able to attend. Article content Article content 'Every single person that was supposed to vote yesterday voted,' he said. Article content Justice Minister Sean Fraser admitted the government is in 'new territory' with its minority mandate and parties can sway things on any given vote with very thin margins. Article content 'I try not to bake feelings into these things. They're math challenges, not problems with feelings. But we have to make sure that we do the work necessary to try to collaborate with parties across the aisle in order to implement the mandate that Canadians have given us.' Article content Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said last month there would be no federal budget in the spring, but a fall economic statement. Shortly after, Prime Minister Mark Carney said his government would present a budget during the fall session instead. Article content 'We will have a much more comprehensive, effective, ambitious, prudent budget in the fall,' he said during a media availability in Rome, where he was to commemorate Pope Leo XIV's inaugural mass. 'You do these things right and that's what we're going to do.'
Ottawa Citizen
7 days ago
- Business
- Ottawa Citizen
Liberals downplay narrowly lost vote demanding spring budget
OTTAWA — The Liberals downplayed a vote on the throne speech they narrowly lost Monday evening to all the opposition parties which urges the government to present an economic update or a budget before the House of Commons rises for the summer on June 20. Article content Article content The sub-amendment, brought forward by Conservative interim leader Andrew Scheer, called for a 'firm commitment' to present a fiscal overview of the country's finances this spring 'that incorporates measures aimed at unleashing Canada's economic potential.' Article content Article content It was adopted Monday by 166 votes — comprised of the Conservatives, the Bloc Québécois, the NDP and Green Party's Elizabeth May — against 164 Liberal votes. Article content Article content It is, however, a non-binding vote, meaning that the government is under no obligation to present a spring economic update or a budget. But the vote in this new minority Parliament showed how opposition parties can aspire to go up against the government and its razor-thin margin in the House. Article content Mark Gerretsen, the chief government whip who is responsible for ensuring that Liberal MPs attend and vote in the way the party desires, insisted nothing went wrong. Article content 'We knew the outcome of what that vote was going to be,' he told reporters on Tuesday. Article content Gerretsen said Liberals have 169 MPs, one of whom is the House Speaker, and four MPs did not vote because of 'paired abstentions.' Those happen when parties agree to have a member sit out a vote because someone from another party is not able to attend. Article content Article content 'Every single person that was supposed to vote yesterday voted,' he said. Article content Justice Minister Sean Fraser admitted the government is in 'new territory' with its minority mandate and parties can sway things on any given vote with very thin margins. Article content 'I try not to bake feelings into these things. They're math challenges, not problems with feelings. But we have to make sure that we do the work necessary to try to collaborate with parties across the aisle in order to implement the mandate that Canadians have given us.' Article content Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said last month there would be no federal budget in the spring, but a fall economic statement. Shortly after, Prime Minister Mark Carney said his government would present a budget during the fall session instead. Article content 'We will have a much more comprehensive, effective, ambitious, prudent budget in the fall,' he said during a media availability in Rome, where he was to commemorate Pope Leo XIV's inaugural mass. 'You do these things right and that's what we're going to do.'
Vancouver Sun
7 days ago
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
Liberals downplay narrowly lost vote demanding spring budget
OTTAWA — The Liberals downplayed a vote on the throne speech they narrowly lost Monday evening to all the opposition parties which urges the government to present an economic update or a budget before the House of Commons rises for the summer on June 20. The sub-amendment, brought forward by Conservative interim leader Andrew Scheer, called for a 'firm commitment' to present a fiscal overview of the country's finances this spring 'that incorporates measures aimed at unleashing Canada's economic potential.' It was adopted Monday by 166 votes — comprised of the Conservatives, the Bloc Québécois, the NDP and Green Party's Elizabeth May — against 164 Liberal votes. 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. It is, however, a non-binding vote, meaning that the government is under no obligation to present a spring economic update or a budget. But the vote in this new minority Parliament showed how opposition parties can aspire to go up against the government and its razor-thin margin in the House. Mark Gerretsen, the chief government whip who is responsible for ensuring that Liberal MPs attend and vote in the way the party desires, insisted nothing went wrong. 'We knew the outcome of what that vote was going to be,' he told reporters on Tuesday. Gerretsen said Liberals have 169 MPs, one of whom is the House Speaker, and four MPs did not vote because of 'paired abstentions.' Those happen when parties agree to have a member sit out a vote because someone from another party is not able to attend. 'Every single person that was supposed to vote yesterday voted,' he said. Justice Minister Sean Fraser admitted the government is in 'new territory' with its minority mandate and parties can sway things on any given vote with very thin margins. 'I try not to bake feelings into these things. They're math challenges, not problems with feelings. But we have to make sure that we do the work necessary to try to collaborate with parties across the aisle in order to implement the mandate that Canadians have given us.' Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said last month there would be no federal budget in the spring , but a fall economic statement. Shortly after, Prime Minister Mark Carney said his government would present a budget during the fall session instead. 'We will have a much more comprehensive, effective, ambitious, prudent budget in the fall,' he said during a media availability in Rome, where he was to commemorate Pope Leo XIV's inaugural mass. 'You do these things right and that's what we're going to do.' Carney added 'there's not much value in trying to rush through a budget in a very narrow window' given that the spring session was set to last four weeks. He also noted the trade war and defence commitments are bound to change the government's numbers. The decision to not table a spring budget has sparked criticism amongst opposition parties, who said they are left in the dark on the country's current fiscal situation. The government tabled a fall economic update last December that showed finances were in a worse state than expected, but the exercise was overshadowed by Chrystia Freeland's sudden and dramatic resignation as finance minister hours before it was tabled. Government House leader Steven MacKinnon noted that Monday's vote to attempt to force the government to table a spring economic update or a budget is non-binding and said he suspects MPs are 'going to see a lot more' of those resolutions. MacKinnon said the real test for the government would come during the vote for the actual throne speech — which is a confidence vote — expected to happen Wednesday evening. National Post, with a file 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 .
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Who's in, who's out? At least seven MPs running for Speaker role on Monday
OTTAWA — When members of Parliament return to the House of Commons on Monday, their first order of business will be to elect a new Speaker. To date, no fewer than seven Liberal and Conservative MPs have indicated they are interested in the position. In addition to incumbent Greg Fergus who wants to re-offer for a second time, Liberal MPs Francis Scarpaleggia, Sherry Romanado and Sean Casey and Conservative MPs Chris d'Entremont and Tom Kmiec, are expected to seek the job. Liberal MP Rob Oliphant was also seriously considering running for the job and was widely consulting colleagues for their feedback this week. On Friday, he confirmed it was official. Green Party Leader Elizabeth May said on Friday she was still 'torn' between staying in her current role or shedding her responsibilities with the Greens to take on the role of Speaker. 'That question is on my mind,' she said. 'Where does duty lie? Do I best serve my country as leader of the Green Party in the House of Commons, or as Speaker in the House of Commons?' As for Liberal MP Alexandra Mendès, who has served as assistant deputy Speaker since 2019 and was in the running back in 2023, she has not been campaigning this time around. Mendès was recently diagnosed with cancer and has been undergoing treatments. The position is a particularly coveted one. It comes with a pay bump of $99,900 — on top of an MP's base salary of $209,800 — and an official country residence in the Gatineau Hills, called 'The Farm.' The Speaker also has access to a small apartment on Parliament Hill. According to House of Commons standing orders, all MPs — except party leaders and ministers — are automatically on the list of candidates for the position of Speaker. Those who do not want to be considered need to indicate in writing that they are withdrawing their name. They have until 6 p.m. Sunday, the day before the election, to do so. The official list of candidates will then be published. On Monday morning, the dean of the House — Bloc Québécois MP Louis Plamondon, who was first elected in 1984 — will assume the role of Speaker during the vote. Candidates will have five minutes to make their pitch to all MPs in the House before MPs vote via a secret ballot, ranking each candidate by their order of preference. The rules of a preferential ballot apply, with the winner having to obtain a majority of votes in a round. In anticipation of the vote, candidates sent out letters by email to their fellow MPs and made phone calls to garner support. Liberal and Conservative caucuses will be meeting on Sunday, where there will likely be decisions made on the preferred candidates. One active discussion among Liberals in caucus, sources say, is whether they want to elect one of their own as Speaker — and therefore lose a crucial vote in the House — when they are just three seats short of a majority. The Liberal caucus went back to 169 seats on Friday after a judicial recount in Newfoundland found that the Conservatives had won the riding of Terra Nova-The Peninsulas. One name to watch will be d'Entremont — the Conservatives' now lone MP in Nova Scotia — who has served as deputy Speaker since 2021 and is expected to garner support from both sides of the aisle. He said he will be pitching his experience in the role on Monday. 'We've got a lot going on in the next few days,' he said. 'Whether it's a Throne Speech, whether it's the first set of question periods, that experience is going to be very important to bring us through the next few weeks, and that's what I'm going to run on.' Oliphant — a Toronto-area MP who was first elected in 2008 — touted his personal relationship with parliamentarians across the aisle which he said might help him foster respect as Speaker. 'I can't say this for sure, but I think they would listen to me,' he said. Oliphant said he was once asked to withdraw remarks in the House by Peter Milliken, who was Speaker for 10 years, from 2001 to 2011, and said Milliken would serve as a role model if he were to take on the role. 'The thought that was in my head was I had disappointed the Speaker, and I quickly withdrew the remarks because he had that much gravitas, that much respect,' Oliphant said of that moment. 'I think that we have lost that.' Scarpaleggia has been the Liberal MP for the Montreal riding of Lac-Saint-Louis for more than two decades and sat on both the government and opposition benches in the House. He said he will be putting forward his 'accumulated experience' as a parliamentarian. 'I just feel that I've got the level of experience that is right for the moment,' he said. Casey, Liberal MP for Charlottetown since 2011, will be running for Speaker for a second time and making a similar pitch as he did during his speech in 2023 to bring back more civility and respect in the House. He said it did not get any better under Fergus. 'I think it's a perfect time for a reset, a complete reset, including a new Speaker, someone who will set the tone early and consistently and vigorously,' Casey said. D'Entremont said that he would not 'interrupt all the time and pontificate' like Fergus did in his time as Speaker and would make sure to not expel MPs from the House. He argued that Milliken 'never kicked anybody out.' In a particularly raucous question period in April last year, Fergus ejected Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre after he refused to apologize for calling then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a 'wacko,' and Conservative MP Rachael Thomas for criticizing Fergus. Casey said he does not fault Fergus for the heightened partisanship under his tenure. 'Greg did the best he could. His approach is collegial and that's the way he came out of the gate. And I felt that time and time again, there were parliamentarians that were taking advantage of his good nature,' he said. Fergus, Romanado and Kmiec did not respond to requests for an interview. No matter the outcome of the election, Oliphant said he will be genuinely happy either way. 'I will be extremely happy to win, and extremely relieved if I don't.' 'It's a lot of work.' National Post 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 daily newsletter, Posted, here.
