Day of reflection in Parliament over death of statesman Nelson Mandela

OTTAWA – It’s a day of reflection in Ottawa as federal politicians look back on the life of Nelson Mandela, who died Thursday at age 95.

Mandela was remembered in all-party statements in the House of Commons onThursday a short time after his death was announced.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper noted the world had lost one of its great moral leaders and statesmen, while NDP leader Tom Mulcair called him an intelligent man who cared for his people.

Events of note in and around Parliament Hill today:

— Statistics Canada releases the labour force survey for November and the labour productivity, hourly compensation and unit labour cost for the third-quarter.

— Ottawa’s CFL expansion franchise, the RedBlacks, will formally name Rick Campbell as the first head coach of the team.

— The Council of Canadians, Ecology Ottawa and Polaris Institute will hold a photo opportunity to demonstrate the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers funding to the Canadian Museum of Civilization.

— Health Minister Rona Ambrose, along with Conservative MP Terence Young, are to make a patient safety announcement at CHEO, the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario.

— Guy-Francois Lamy of the Quebec Employers Council meets with media to discuss the latest court proceedings between the United Food and Commercial Workers and Walmart Canada, related to the closure of the Walmart store in Jonquiere in 2005.

— And the Supreme Court of Canada will release its decision in the appeal of the Stephane McRae case involving death threats against a Crown prosecutor, a police investigator and four witnesses.