As part of our continuing series, I spoke with Libearal MP Mario Silva about what’s keeping him busy after Question Period today, while Silva was waiting for his meeting with Mexican president Felipe Calderon.
Q: What’s on your plate for the last five weeks of sitting before the House rises?
A: There’s obviously still committee work that has to be taken care of. The Human Rights committee has a series of reports we’re still working on from the universal periodic review of the UN, to the Venezuela situation of human rights there. [With respect to] the Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism – that report has not been finalised and it’s taking a lot of time. In addition to that, we’re still debating and hearing witnesses on the Colombia Free Trade Agreement at Trade Committee. Those are the things that are going to take up a lot of our time until the House rises.
Q: Your guess as to whether the sitting will be extended because of prorogation, or rise early because of the oppressive Ottawa heat?
A: I don’t know. There’s a series of things – I would imagine they’re going to keep to the schedule because you need unanimous consent, and it would be very hard to get. I also think that with the G8 and G20 taking place, that will take a lot of the government’s time I would say, and it would be very hard for them to have Parliament sitting at that time.
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