MPs are heading back to Parliament Hill.
asserted
MPs → head → Hill
Here's what to watch this sitting
Government will have to balance new legislative priorities with bills leftover from spring
MPs are heading back to Parliament Hill on Monday to pick up where they left off in June.
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they → watch → June
While the break is usually a quiet time in the political world, this past summer seemed anything but.
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summer → seem → world
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened new tariffs in July (including over wildfire smoke) and trade talks subsequently ramped up only to collapse in August.
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talks → threaten → August
Prime Minister Mark Carney made moves to deepen Canada's ties with the European Union.
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Carney → make → Union
All of this happened after the final whistle blew at the FIFA World Cup — which, to some, may feel like more than two months ago.
uncertain
which → happen → some
Carney's government will now be turning from diplomacy to its legislative agenda with an opposition that will be pushing for answers.
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that → turn → answers
Here are some key things to watch this fall sitting.
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things → watch → ?
The prime minister just returned from Strasbourg, France, where he addressed the European Parliament about forming some kind of new alliance with the 27 countries that make up the European Union.
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that → return → Union
The precise details of that arrangement still need to be worked out, but Carney suggested it could touch on things like critical minerals, AI, defence, energy and finance.
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it → need → minerals
Regardless of what is agreed to between the federal government and the powers that be in Europe, Carney said the agreement would be debated and voted on in the House.
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agreement → agree → House
A final vote might not happen this fall but debate about the relationship is likely to be ongoing with more details expected to be unveiled at the Canada‑EU summit in October.
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details → happen → October
There are no signs that trade talks with the U.S. will happen anytime soon and the Trump administration will likely be fixated on the upcoming midterm elections rather than Canada.
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administration → be → Canada
But things may change once those ballots are tallied in November.
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ballots → change → November
On both fronts, the Conservatives will be pushing the government for more details.
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Conservatives → push → details
Leader Pierre Poilievre has called on Carney to release the text of the rejected trade deal — which negotiators say is protected by confidentiality agreements — and present a cost analysis of Canada's counter-tariffs.
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negotiators → call → tariffs
Poilievre has also come out against getting too close to the EU, arguing Canada can't "afford European taxes, laws and open borders chaos."
Legislative agenda
The government will have to balance new bills they want to bring to the House floor this fall with legislative work they have left over from the spring.
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they → come → spring
Government House leader Steven MacKinnon told CBC's Rosemary Barton Live that the economy, jobs and trade will be major focuses for the Liberals this fall.
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economy → tell → Liberals
"Affordability is, of course, a major preoccupation for the government alongside our continued prosperity," he told host Rosemary Barton.
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he → tell → Barton
Last year, Carney bucked the trend of the federal government unveiling its overall spending plans in the spring and instead opted to introduce budgets in the fall.
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government → buck → fall
The prime minister gave some hints of what to expect in the upcoming budget during last week's investment summit.
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minister → give → summit
During an address at the event, Carney said the government will be able to balance the operating budget — which it loosely defines as day-to-day spending on government programs — by next year, one year ahead of schedule.
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it → say → schedule
Carney also announced that he plans to build on a tax deduction announced in last year's budget by introducing a productivity "mega-deduction" that will allow companies to expense the total cost of new investments across a number of sectors.
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companies → announce → sectors
Bill C-31, which officially implements portions of the 2025 budget, will be before committee this fall and needs to have a few more votes in Parliament before it passes.
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it → implement → Parliament
That bill includes tax changes and defence procurement provisions.
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bill → include → changes
There are a number of other bills left over from the spring, including legislation to restrict access to social media platforms for kids under the age of 16, create a framework to protect drinking water in First Nations communities (which is receiving heavy scrutiny) and tighten privacy rules and regulations for companies handling Canadians' data.
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which → be → data
A number of new bills are expected to be brought forward this fall, starting with legislation to extend the excise tax holiday on gasoline which will be introduced this week.
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which → expect → gasoline
The Liberals are also expected to table legislation to further streamline the review process for major projects and make changes to the Labour Code.
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Liberals → expect → Code
Two sources told CBC News that the bill is expected to be tabled this week.
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bill → tell → News
The Labour Code changes will focus on industries that impact Canada's global exports, such as ports and railways, the sources said.
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sources → focus → ports
Under the new rules, the labour minister would be explicitly allowed to direct the Canada Industrial Relations Board to end work stoppages in high-risk bargaining situations, the sources said.
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sources → allow → situations
A special mediator would have to issue a report prior to the minister intervening.
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minister → have → report
That mediator would be appointed by the minister.
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mediator → appoint → minister
Key voting days, provincially and federally
Opposition parties are coming back to the House with less leverage than they had a year ago after the Liberals were able to secure a majority government in April.
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Liberals → come → April
The Liberals bolstered numbers over the summer, sweeping three byelections in August.
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Liberals → bolster → August
Two wins were in ridings previously by the governing party, but the Liberals picked up a seat in Quebec that was previously held by Conservative Richard Martel.
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that → govern → Martel
As things stand, the Liberals have 173 seats (including the Speaker who only votes when there is a tie) to the oppositions' combined 164 seats.
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who → stand → seats
There are half a dozen vacancies that still need to be filled which will give parties opportunities to boost their numbers.
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which → be → numbers
Scarborough North and Brantford-Brant South-Six Nations in Ontario as well as Saskatchewan's Yorkton-Melville round out the list of currently empty sets.
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North → round → sets
Two of the seats were last held by Liberals MPs, including former cabinet minister Steven Guilbeault.
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Two → hold → Guilbeault
…and 11 more, not listed.
The Aporia
