11.45°C Vancouver

Sep 24, 2020 4:11 PM -

Parliament resumes full operations today with debate on throne speech

Share On
parliament-resumes-full-operations-today-with-debate-on-throne-speech
Gov. Gen. Julie Payette delivers the throne speech in the Senate chamber in Ottawa on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

The fate of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberal government hangs in the balance as Parliament resumes all normal operations today for the first time in six months.

Opposition parties will give their official responses to Wednesday's speech from the throne but they've already signalled that Trudeau can't count on support from any of them to survive the eventual confidence vote and avoid plunging the country into an election in the midst of a second wave of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.

The Conservatives were unequivocal: they will not support the throne speech.

The Bloc Quebecois was almost as categorical: Bloc MPs will not consider supporting the throne speech unless Trudeau agrees to fork over at least $28 billion more each year in unconditional transfer payments to provinces for health care, as demanded unanimously last week by premiers.

Bloc Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet is giving the government just one week to accede to that demand, in the expectation that the confidence vote on the throne speech will take place next week.

That leaves New Democrats as the Liberals' most likely dance partner but NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has conditions of his own: legislation assuring that Canadians left jobless due to the pandemic won't have their emergency benefits cut and that Canadians who fall ill will get paid sick leave.

Latest news

white-rock-rcmp-continue-to-search-for-justin-fisher-two-years-after-his-disappearance
BCOct 08, 2025

White Rock RCMP continue to search for Justin Fisher, two years after his disappearance

On the two-year anniversary of his disappearance, White Rock RCMP is renewing their plea for information about Justin Fisher. On October 8, 2023, White Rock RCMP received a report of found property and determined it belonged to Justin Kyle Fisher. The last known sighting of Justin Fisher was in White Rock, BC in the 15000 block of Marine Drive, on October 7, 2023. His backpack containing his belongings was found in the water about 100 metres offshore by a kayaker on October 8, 2023. Based on our investigation, we do not believe there is any criminality associated to his disappearance. As the i
alberta-education-minister-concerned-about-private-school-funding-petition
AlbertaOct 08, 2025

Alberta education minister concerned about private school funding petition

Alberta's education minister says cutting government funding to private schools would only escalate the pressure faced by the province's strained public school system. Demetrios Nicolaides says thousands of children would need to find new schools to attend, likely public schools, which he says are already under immense pressure. The funding cut is a move one Calgary teacher is hoping to put to a vote. This week Alberta's chief electoral officer approved the teacher's proposed referendum question, which asks: ``Should the Government of Alberta end its current practice of allocating
all-b-c-government-liquor-cannabis-stores-now-behind-workers-pickets
BCOct 08, 2025

All B.C. government liquor, cannabis stores now behind workers' pickets

All remaining British Columbia-run liquor and cannabis stores in the province are now behind picket lines as public service workers step up union job action. The escalation by the BC General Employees' Union also includes all Service BC workers, raising the total number of members participating in job action to almost 25,000. Private liquor and cannabis stores in B.C. remain open, but they are supplied by provincial government distribution warehouses that are also behind picket lines. Service BC provides residents with services related to drivers licensing, income and disability ass
house-committee-adds-language-security-checks-to-lost-canadians-bill
CanadaOct 08, 2025

House committee adds language, security checks to 'Lost Canadians' bill

The House of Commons immigration committee is recommending most adults eligible for birthright citizenship under the "Lost Canadians" bill fulfil similar requirements to immigrant applicants, on language, knowledge of Canadian history and security checks. MPs on the committee adopted amendments on Tuesday to Bill C-3, which will go back to the House of Commons for approval. The bill responds to a 2023 Ontario court ruling overturning a Stephen Harper-era law which prohibited Canadians born aboard from passing down citizenship if their children were not born in Canada The bill proposes that in
canada-post-union-set-for-meeting-with-ottawa-as-strike-stretches-on
CanadaOct 08, 2025

Canada Post union set for meeting with Ottawa as strike stretches on

The union representing striking Canada Post employees says it will meet with the federal minister in charge of the Crown corporation after accusing Ottawa of trampling on the collective bargaining process. Postal workers took to the picket lines nearly two weeks ago after Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound announced sweeping changes to Canada Post's mandate that would allow the struggling postal service to overhaul its operations in the midst of negotiations with the union. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers is asking the minister to roll back the changes that include permitting the end o

Related News