OTTAWA -- Saskatchewan Conservative MP Cathay Wagantall’s private member’s bill to make abortions done on the basis of a baby’s sex illegal in Canada will be up for debate and second reading in the House of Commons April 14.

This is about a single newspaper photograph. The Canadian Press took it on Dec. 10 on the day the House of Commons passed Bill C-7, which expands euthanasia to include more victims.

OTTAWA -- Free speech advocates are troubled by a House of Commons Justice Committee recommendation to reinstate a controversial section of the Canadian Human Rights Act dealing with hate speech.

In the winter of 1964, Parliament was a hotbed of debate. With Canada’s 100th birthday just two-and-a-half years away, politicians were busily trying to come to some sort of agreement on a new national flag to replace the Red Ensign. The Great Canadian Flag Debate officially began in June 1964 and after six months of often bitter argument, it finally ended on Dec. 15, 1964 as the Liberals invoked closure, much to the chagrin of Conservative leader John Diefenbaker. Two months later, the new flag flew for the first time, prompting this letter to The Catholic Register editor from an unnamed seminarian at Toronto’s St. Augustine’s Seminary.

Fr. Andrew Hogan made history on July 8, 1974, becoming the first Roman Catholic priest to be elected to the House of Commons. Better known as Father Andy, he would serve two terms before losing in the 1980 election. He died in 2002. There have been two other priests who were MPs at the same time — Fr. Bob Ogle (NDP, 1979-84) and Fr. Raymond Gravel (Bloc Quebecois, 2006-08). In 1980, the Vatican banned priests from seeking political office, though bishops could grant special permission. The Register’s Dan Mothersill wrote about Hogan’s historic victory in the July 20, 1974 issue:

OTTAWA – Euthanasia opponents and disability rights activists are uneasy about a process to liberalize Canada’s euthanasia law — a law which they say still lacks regulations and proper safeguards.

OTTAWA – Anti-porn advocacy groups expressed disappointment in the report by the House of Commons health committee on the public health effects of violent and degrading pornography.

OTTAWA – A public health strategy is necessary to combat violent online pornography, a House of Commons Health Committee was told.

OTTAWA  – The House of Commons has passed a motion condemning Islamophobia and religious discrimination, despite concerns about freedom of speech.

OTTAWA – Conservative MP Arnold Viersen hopes Canada will launch a public health campaign against online violent pornography that will be as effective as the one against cigarette smoking.

OTTAWA – A national palliative care framework is one step closer to reality after legislation passed second reading in the House of Commons on Jan. 31.

OTTAWA – Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu had hoped her Bill C-277 calling for a national palliative care framework would pass before Christmas, but it appears she will have to wait until February.

OTTAWA – The House of Commons unanimously passed a Conservative MP’s motion Dec. 8 instructing the Commons’ Health Committee to study the impact of violent online pornography.

OTTAWA – A private member motion for a government study into the public impact of pornographic material that is readily available on the Internet has won all-party support.