Britain’s lawmakers say no to Brexit deal
Britain’s lawmakers have voted down the Brexit deal hammered out by Prime Minister Theresa May.
The House of Commons voted 432-202 Tuesday against the deal struck between Britain’s government and the EU in November. The Labour Party has tabled a motion for a vote on non-confidence to be voted on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Trudeau trying to gain support against China
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is working the phones, calling the leaders of Argentina and New Zealand to build support for Canada in its dispute with China.
The Prime Minister’s Office says Trudeau and the other leaders talked about the detention and legal treatment of Canadian citizens in China. Trudeau received support from global capitals following the detention of two Canadians last month and that angered the Chinese, who have now retried a previously arrested third Canadian and sentenced him to death for drug smuggling.
Home sales down from coast to coast
Home sales across the country fell in December for the fourth month in a row.
The Canadian Real Estate Association says 2018 is going on the books as the weakest year for home sales since 2012. Sales were down in about 60 percent of all local markets in December, tumbling 19 percent from December of 2017.
Legislation drafted over flawed Phoenix pay system
The federal Finance Department has drafted legislation that would see civil servants overpaid by the Phoenix pay system have to repay only the amounts deposited into their bank accounts in a prior tax year.
Under current laws, they would have to pay back the gross amount of the overpayment, including income taxes, Canada Pension Plan contributions and Employment Insurance premiums that were already deducted. Thousands of federal employees were overpaid and the Public Service Alliance of Canada has been urging the government to exempt them from the tax law.
