The fall sitting of Parliament begins Monday, as MPs resume their work in the House of Commons for the first time since June.
Parliament’s return comes as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is facing persistent election pressure from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, whose party maintained a definitive lead over the Liberals in public opinion polls all summer.
Trudeau is also contending with the loss of assumed support from the NDP after Jagmeet Singh “ripped up” the two parties’ supply-and-confidence agreement, declaring a desire to spend the rest of this Parliament going vote-by-vote.
But as Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet positions his caucus to capture the balance of power, the prime minister’s minority Liberal government has political options to stay afloat.
What are the parties’ priorities?
Coming out of last week’s Liberal caucus retreat, Trudeau insisted that despite chatter about the viability of his continued leadership, Liberals are fixated on “putting the strongest balance sheet in the G7 in service of Canadians.”
Government House Leader Karina Gould is holding a news conference at 9:30 a.m. EDT to talk about the Liberals’ priorities for the fall sitting.
Poilievre convened his caucus for a quick strategy session in Ottawa on Sunday, where he said Conservatives will stay focused on the carbon tax and the economy.
Last week in Montreal, Singh said New Democrats are returning to Parliament focused on restoring “hope” for Canadians and trying to leverage the new minority dynamics for fresh progressive policy gains.
Singh will speak to media about the start of the new sitting at 11:15 a.m. EDT in the House foyer.
Expected to elaborate on their audition as the Liberals’ new dance partner, Blanchet and key members of his House leadership team are holding a press conference at 10 a.m. EDT to set up the sitting from Quebec’s perspective.
Also at 10 a.m. EDT, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May is holding a press conference to outline her party’s priorities for the months ahead. Her team says May will also speak to how she and the sole other Green MP will vote on confidence motions.
What’s on the agenda?
On the Commons’ agenda Monday is debate on Bill C-71, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act, which proposes changes to Canadian citizenship rules for those born abroad.
Tied to a Supreme Court ruling, this legislation was tabled in May but didn’t advance before MPs hit the barbecue circuit. Over the summer, the federal government was granted an extension until December to fix the unconstitutional “lost Canadians” law.
Around 2:15 p.m. EDT party leaders will be back in the chamber together for the first time in nearly three months for the first question period of the fall sitting.
There, the stage is set for an hour of exchanging barbs and probing for answers about the hottest issues of the last few months.
With renewed attention on the NDP’s murky stance on the consumer carbon tax, the Liberals’ eyeing immigration level limits, and the Conservatives continued resistance to sharing what social programs they’d cut to “fix” the budget, there will be lots for the leaders to dig into.
The largest looming debate will come when Poilievre presents his promised motion of non-confidence in the prime minister.
While the Official Opposition leader has promised to advance a motion to defeat the Trudeau minority at his first opportunity, the government sets the schedule for when opposition days occur and the Liberals are not expected to offer up any day the first week back for this procedural drama to unfold.
Gould, however, has signalled MPs won’t have to wait too long.
In order to pass, the majority of the current 334 MPs would need to vote to say they no longer have confidence in Trudeau.
Right now the Liberals hold 154 seats, the Conservatives have 119, there are 32 Bloc MPs, 24 New Democrats, and two Green MPs. There are also three Independents.
While parliamentarians settle back in to the routine of debating and legislating, campaign offices in LaSalle-Emard-Verdun, Que., and Elmwood-Transcona, Man., are making last-minute get-out-the-vote efforts.
Two seats in the House of Commons are up for grabs Monday as voters in these ridings go to the polls in a pair of byelections that have been framed as key tests for Trudeau and others.
This is a developing story, check back for updates…