Some Key Liberal Legislation at Risk as House of Commons is Prorogued

Gov. Gen. Mary Simon approved Justin Trudeau’s request on Monday to prorogue Parliament until Mar. 24, temporarily halting activities in the House of Commons while the Liberals work on replacing him as both Liberal Leader and prime minister.

This decision will reset the legislative agenda when the House of Commons reconvenes in March, potentially causing some important government bills to expire without being passed.

If opposition parties support a motion to resume discussions where they left off, work that was halted by the prorogation could be reinstated when the House of Commons resumes. However, there is no guarantee of this happening as opposition parties are aiming to overthrow the government.

One of the uncertain pieces of legislation is the Online Harms Act, which targets platforms like social media sites to hold them accountable for harmful content on their platforms, including bullying, incitement of violence, and promotion of hate. This legislation has faced criticism for potentially violating the Charter.

There is also a potential risk for a court-ordered bill that would grant citizenship to individuals born outside of Canada to Canadian parents who were born in another country. This bill aims to replace a previous law from 2009 that was ruled unconstitutional in 2023.

A judge extended the government’s deadline to pass this bill by three months in December, but the new deadline of Mar. 19 will be missed without another extension.

Another important piece of legislation, the increase in the capital gains tax inclusion rate mentioned in the last federal budget, is currently in limbo. The government intends to raise the tax rate on capital gains exceeding $250,000 from half to two-thirds, affecting all gains for trusts and corporations.

Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu highlighted a bill aiming to ensure clean drinking water and protect source water in First Nations communities as a significant achievement in co-developed legislation with Indigenous Peoples. This bill seeks to guarantee equal funding for water treatment in First Nations communities and acknowledge their right to clean drinking water.

Additionally, the Liberals introduced a bill to establish a modern treaty commissioner to ensure compliance with modern treaties with First Nations. Communities with modern treaties have long requested the creation of this commissioner to ensure government accountability in upholding treaty obligations.