愛污传媒

Politics

    • Conservative MP's bill to encourage growth in cryptocurrency sector defeated

    Share

    Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner's private member's bill calling for a national framework to encourage growth in the cryptocurrency sector was defeated in the House of Commons on Wednesday.

    By a vote of 199 to 119, the legislation was voted down at second reading, meaning it won't move ahead for further study or debate. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his caucus voted in favour of seeing the bill advance, as did a few Liberal and Independent MPs. 

    Bill C-249鈥"An Act respecting the encouragement of the growth of the cryptoasset sector," as it was titled鈥攃alled for Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland to "develop a national framework to encourage the growth of the cryptoasset sector."

    also called for the government, in developing this framework, to consult those working in the sector. 

    Citing how "cryptoassets have significant economic and innovative potential for Canada," Rempel Garner was seeking to have a federal crypto-sector policy that focused on lowering barriers to entry and protecting those working in the sector.

    Amid heightened attention over Poilievre's contentious crypto comments during the party's leadership race, the legislation became a bit of a lightning rod in the House of Commons. 

    During debate on the bill on Monday, the battle lines became clear as Liberal, NDP and Bloc Quebecois MPs voiced their opposition to the legislation, while making repeated references back to Poilievre's promotion of cryptocurrency. 

    "I am somewhat surprised that the Conservative Party has legislation that deals with cryptocurrency. Members can recall that not that long ago the leader of the Conservative Party said that one of the best ways to fight inflation in Canada would be to invest in cryptocurrency," said Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux. "Imagine those鈥 who listened to the leader of the Conservative Party and invested in cryptocurrency鈥 would have suffered a 60 per cent loss or higher."

    Bloc Quebecois MP Maxime Blanchette called the sector "more ideology-driven than factual" before going on to say, "It is no secret that the new leader of the Conservative Party of Canada dreams of bitcoin and other cryptoasset fantasies at night.

    "There are still many issues that require us, as decision-makers, to act with caution and diligence in this matter. The first issue is, of course, the volatility of cryptocurrencies, which is still extremely high and often inexplicable," Blanchette said. "Unlike the Leader of the Conservative Party and his party members, who seem to be looking at cryptoassets through rose-coloured glasses, the Bloc Quebecois prefers to focus on transparency and responsibility."

    NDP MP Charlie Angus focused in on Poilievre's comments suggesting that some of the inflation and affordability-focused spending measures the federal government has advanced with the backing of the NDP, such as the doubling of the GST tax credit, would "vaporize." Turning this around, Angus pointed out how after the recent FTX cryptocurrency exchange collapse, billions were "vaporized." 

    "Before we start promoting these kinds of dodgy financial hustles, we need to ask what rules are in place to protect people and their savings and to have proper oversight. That is something the leader of the Conservative Party refuses to do and he needs to be accountable for it," Angus went on to say, while thanking Rempel Garner for trying to advance a conversation around putting in a framework for the sector.

    Seeking to defend her proposal, Rempel Garner rounded out the debate expressing frustration over how the topic had become politicized. Pointing to her degree in economics, she made the case for why her efforts with this bill were to pursue safeguards for the sector.

    "When Bernie Madoff ran his Ponzi scheme, we did not seek to ban email or ban phones because he used those to lure victims, and we did not try to vilify the entire investment services industry because of one bad actor. What we did was seek to strengthen safeguards to ensure that bad governance and 'too good to be true' schemes were not taking place anymore. We sought to educate people so they would not be lured into schemes, and most importantly, we said we need to do these things so this sector that is important to our economy can continue to grow," she said. "I do not want to look back in 10 years on this debate and say we missed an opportunity." 

    In the 2023 federal budget the federal government committed to launching consultations on cryptocurrency, acknowledging the growing interest in the potential future of the sector, diving into the stability and security of the digitalization of money.

    In the fall economic update, Freeland announced that those consultations were beginning, with the first phase of the review directed at digital currencies, including cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, and central bank digital currencies. 

    IN DEPTH

    Opinion

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

    When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    BREAKING

    BREAKING

    Four people are dead and another is in hospital following a fiery crash in downtown Toronto that happened overnight on Lake Shore Boulevard.

    The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

    BREAKING

    BREAKING

    Quebec鈥檚 Bureau of Independent Investigations (BEI) is investigating after police in Gatineau, Que. shot and killed a man who allegedly stabbed an officer during an investigation.

    Canada

    • An investigation into a climate of fear at a Montreal primary school has reignited a debate about secularism in Quebec's education system, with the provincial government pledging to consider new measures to keep religion out of classrooms.

    • Ontario needs more money to properly deliver the national $10-a-day child-care program now and beyond the life of the current agreement, the province's education minister has told the federal minister in a new letter.

    • Speed was a possible factor in a Tuesday night rollover involving a semi-truck that left 17 cows dead. In a news release Wednesday, Calgary police said officers were called to the area of Stoney Trail S.E. and Macleod Trail S.E. around 8:10 p.m. for a reported rollover involving a semi-truck carrying 95 cattle.

    • Two B.C. RCMP officers won鈥檛 face criminal charges for their use for force that left a man who had been arrested for public intoxication with a concussion, a torn shoulder and a chunk of his hair missing 鈥 but they could face professional discipline.

    • BREAKING

      BREAKING

      Four people are dead and another is in hospital following a fiery crash in downtown Toronto that happened overnight on Lake Shore Boulevard.

    • BREAKING

      BREAKING

      Quebec鈥檚 Bureau of Independent Investigations (BEI) is investigating after police in Gatineau, Que. shot and killed a man who allegedly stabbed an officer during an investigation.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    • Vancouver Fire Rescue Services received its first shipment of new firefighting gear on Wednesday, advancing the department's plans to reduce cancer risk for its members.

    • A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

    Entertainment

    Business

    • Canada's discount airline is suspending operations to and from Saskatoon.

    • Things could be looking up for Waterloo, Ont.-based company and former tech darling Sandvine, after being removed from the U.S. Department of Commerce Entity List earlier this week.

    Lifestyle

    • A new resident at a Manitoba animal rescue has waddled her way into people's hearts.

    • The Radium Hot Springs in British Columbia's Kootenay National Park has undergone a $29-million makeover.

    Sports

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

    A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

    Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

    A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.

    A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.

    A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.

    Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.

    Looking for a scare with good intentions this Halloween season? The ghosts and ghouls of Eganville, Ont. invite families to tour the Haunted Walk at Lekbor Manor.

    The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that 鈥 and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.

    • Legend has it that on a dark evening in 1988, friends of Supt. Joe Atherton quietly buried his body on the site of the old provincial RCMP headquarters in Vancouver.

    • Since the record-breaking atmospheric river hit Metro Vancouver last Friday, 266 drivers have filed ICBC claims for water damage to their vehicles. In some places, flood water was so deep, cars floated away with the drivers still inside, and the engine running.

    • Brittany La Torre and her husband Marc moved into their West Vancouver home just six months ago, but after last weekend's storm brought a torrent of muddy water and debris into their basement, knocking out power, they're not sure whether they'll be living in it six months from now.

    • BREAKING

      BREAKING

      Four people are dead and another is in hospital following a fiery crash in downtown Toronto that happened overnight on Lake Shore Boulevard.

    • It's a dream for many Canadians, trying to save up enough money for a down payment on their very first home. That was also the dream for the Esmeralda family, a family of five with two dogs who currently live in a Scarborough apartment building.

    • A proposed inner-city apartment complex development by Anthem Properties is raising concerns for some residents of Hillhurst and West Hillhurst.

    • A new report suggests that Canadians' exposure to a radioactive gas is increasing, putting millions of people at a higher risk of developing lung cancer.

    • BREAKING

      BREAKING

      Quebec鈥檚 Bureau of Independent Investigations (BEI) is investigating after police in Gatineau, Que. shot and killed a man who allegedly stabbed an officer during an investigation.

    • NEW THIS MORNING

      NEW THIS MORNING

      The City of Ottawa is hoping to learn this week just how many residents in the capital are homeless.

    • It feels like fall in Ottawa today, after four straight days with temperatures in the 20s. Environment Canada says temperatures will warm up to 10 C on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

    • An investigation into a climate of fear at a Montreal primary school has reignited a debate about secularism in Quebec's education system, with the provincial government pledging to consider new measures to keep religion out of classrooms.

    • WEATHER

      WEATHER

      High temperatures have been trending in Montreal this season, but that could soon come to an end.

    • Montreal Mayor Val茅rie Plante says she will quit municipal politics after serving the final year of her second term, which comes to an end in November 2025.

    • An Edmonton tow truck operator has been charged after police say he refused to release a vehicle to its owner.

    • The City of Edmonton has a long road ahead to replace aging ice arenas as demand for ice time increases.

    • The leader of Alberta's Official Opposition rolled up his sleeves for his COVID-19 and flu shots today, opting to receive them in front of media because he's concerned about vaccine uptake.

    • A memorial is growing outside a Walmart in Halifax after a 19-year-old employee was found dead inside an oven in the store Saturday night.

    • A volunteer treasurer is facing charges after funds went missing from Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston鈥檚 riding.

    • A search has started at Prairie Green Landfill for the remains of two victims of a serial killer.

    • A sentencing hearing is set to begin today for a Manitoba man who admitted to killing his common-law partner and their two young children.

    • A 59-year-old man has died following a crash involving three vehicles that started after a tire fell off a car on the Trans-Canada Highway Wednesday morning in the RM of Tache.

    • Former Saskatchewan Party MLA Gary Grewal is defending his conduct and disagreeing with a recent report from the Conflict of Interest Commissioner (COIC) 鈥 which found he broke rules that prohibit MLAs from being involved with government contracts.

    • Southey RCMP say drivers should expect delays on Highway 6 Wednesday night after a serious crash.

    • Regina police says officers will provide an update Thursday in its search for the suspect of a homicide that took place in the city during the summer of 2023.

    • Detective Robert Hofstetter examined Erb鈥檚 home after her death and came to several conclusions based on the blood stains he found there.

    • A psychologist who recently assessed Geovanny Villalba-Aleman believes he may have experienced a psychotic break before stabbing three people in a gender studies class at a University of Waterloo.

    • Corrections Service Canada has confirmed a women鈥檚 prison in Kitchener is in lockdown.

    • The race to form government is heating up ahead of the provincial election on Monday. Both the Saskatchewan NDP and the Saskatchewan Party feel they have the momentum as each leader has been focusing on different areas of the province as the campaign trail nears its end.

    • Canada's discount airline is suspending operations to and from Saskatoon.

    • The Saskatoon civic election is drawing closer, with mayoral candidates outlining their visions to keep the city competitive and attract businesses.

    • The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

    • It only took minutes for North Bay pharmacist Brian Chute to be out $1,500 after fraudsters deceptively swapped his bank card with another.

    • A 27-year-old man is miraculously alive after his pickup went over Hawk Cliff near Port Stanley. Fire fighters estimate that from the top to bottom of the embankment is around 270 feet.

    • Under tough cross-examination at the London courthouse on Wednesday, Rachel Johnson, 21, was asked a number of times why there was a delay in calling 911

    • OPP have confirmed that a transport truck driver crashed into a historic home just southeast of London this morning.

    • A suspect in an armed robbery that took place one year ago in Hanover will officially face the court for their charges following an arrest on Sunday.

    • A haunted house in the Town of Innisfil is causing a real scare for some people a week before Halloween.

    • In the Town of Tecumseh, residents and athletes alike are facing a pickleball problem that may prove costly.

    • As hospitals elsewhere in Ontario reintroduce mask mandates due to rising respiratory illnesses, Windsor hospitals are taking a more measured approach.

    • Two B.C. RCMP officers won鈥檛 face criminal charges for their use for force that left a man who had been arrested for public intoxication with a concussion, a torn shoulder and a chunk of his hair missing 鈥 but they could face professional discipline.

    • When 16-year-old Kaydence Bourque was struck and killed in a crosswalk on Cedar Hill Cross Road in Saanich in 2021, the community was shaken to the core.

    • A man who fired at least 19 gunshots at an RCMP detachment in northern British Columbia, narrowly missing officers inside, has won a reduced prison sentence from the province's highest court, which ruled the sentencing judge failed to fully weigh the man's mental illness at the time.

    • Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.

    • A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.

    • Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.

    • Graduate students looking to become mental-health professionals will have more opportunities to study in the University of Lethbridge鈥檚 Master of Education Counselling Psychology program.

    • A dazzling light display is making its return to Lethbridge this holiday season.

    • As part of anniversary celebrations, the City of Lethbridge is inviting the community to see VisitLethbridge.com Arena like they never have before.

    • The lack of 24-hour public washrooms has been a long-standing issue in the Sault, especially considering the rise in homelessness.

    • The union representing the fire rangers with the Ministry of Natural Resources says money won鈥檛 fix the systemic problems in the workplace.

    • Rallies by a group called Voices Against Violence took place across the country on Monday, including Sault Ste. Marie.

    N.L.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 愛污传媒