Insights by Raphael Brass, Vice-President & Leah Young, Consultant
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rang in the new year with a major political move, meeting with Governor General Mary Simon to request the prorogation of the House of Commons until March 24 to allow for a Liberal leadership contest to replace him as prime minister. While this decision has stirred up speculation, what does it mean for the day-to-day functioning of government and Parliament?
Prorogation marks the formal end of a parliamentary session, but one should think of it more like hitting a reset button in the House of Commons than shutting the government down. Unlike the dissolution of the House of Commons before an election when the government enters “caretaker mode,” the cabinet remains fully operational, and government decision-making continues. Trudeau has reassured Canadians that his team remains committed to governing, with a noted emphasis on Canada-U.S. relations, even as the Liberal Party embarks on a national leadership race. Essential activities such as the vital trade negotiations with the United States, regulatory updates and funding program decisions will proceed normally. Cabinet committees like the Treasury Board and the Canada-U.S. Relations will continue meeting regularly.
Government bills that haven’t received Royal Assent are effectively dead and will need to start over in the new session. There is, however, a mechanism to bring them back to their previous stages. This is unlikely to be largely felt since filibustering by the opposition last fall prevented the government from advancing its legislative agenda.
Bills that reached the Senate before the holiday break are now on hold and will require reintroduction once Parliament reconvenes on March 24. In contrast, Private Members’ Bills remain largely unaffected and can resume from where they left off, whether in committee, at Third Reading, or awaiting further consideration in the Senate.
Prorogation also affects parliamentary committees, which are dissolved until the House reconvenes. Only the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs remains intact. All other House and Senate Committees will need to be reconstituted once Parliament resumes.
When the House of Commons returns on March 24, Canadians can expect a new Liberal Prime Minister to set the tone with a speech from the throne. This will serve as a roadmap for the party’s aspirations for an upcoming session of Parliament. Given that the throne speech requires a confidence vote that the government will likely lose, the speech will also be a preview of the Liberal Party’s election platform and the start of a federal election campaign.
