Contentious Federal Anti-Labour Bill Goes Back to Senate

OTTAWA (CP) — Conservative senators are making a bid to cut short debate on private members' business just as the Senate is about to revive debate on a controversial bill that would force unions to publicly disclose details of their spending.

The timing of the two moves has sparked suspicions that the Harper government wants to whisk bill C-377 through the Senate, avoiding the scrutiny that prompted senators, including 16 Conservatives, to gut the bill the first time it came before the upper house.

In June 2013, the Senate sent C-377, sponsored by Conservative MP Russ Hiebert, back to the House of Commons with amendments that effectively eviscerated the bill, which critics have called unconstitutional, undemocratic and an invasion of privacy.

However, Prime Minister Stephen Harper prorogued Parliament before the House of Commons could consider the amendments and, in accordance with rules for reinstating legislation following prorogation, the bill wound up back in the upper chamber in its original form.

- See more at: http://www.labour-reporter.com/articleview/22326-bill-c-377-revived-senators-move-to-limit-debate#sthash.HsJvQ5bL.dpuf

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