While the House of Commons will be mostly vacant Monday thanks to the Conservative government's pre-emptive gambit to suspend Parliament, that doesn't mean the political parties will be sitting silent.

In fact, as the Conservatives dispatch some of their top ministers across the country, the opposition has lined up a series of events aimed at scoring points with voters.

The Liberals, who have been gaining in the polls, will begin their strategy on Monday with a show of force in Ottawa.

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff and his caucus plan to show up on Parliament Hill and talk to reporters about the absence of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his MPs.

The meeting comes two days after thousands of vocal protesters staged country-wide demonstrations against Harper's controversial decision to prorogue parliament for the second time in a year.

Later, the Liberals will hold a series of public meetings focusing on jobs.

The Liberals will likely focus on maintaining political momentum; according to an Ekos poll released last week, the rising Liberals and the falling Conservatives are nearly tied in popular support.

The Liberal attack will also be bolstered by regular press releases, many of them which will attack the government on accountability and accuse them of sidestepping democracy.

On Sunday, Ignatieff's office released a list of 123 written questions -- focusing on the economy, the Afghan detainee issue and justice reforms - that will go unanswered because of Parliament's suspension.

"The government can continue to hide facts from Canadians thanks to the prime minister's self-serving decision to shut down Parliament," the release said.

Additionally, 36 pieces of legislation are on hold due to the pause.

Liberal MP Bob Rae said Sunday that the suspension has also stopped important committee work on the economy.

"Committees that normally provide input have been quashed," he told CTV's Question Period.

Conservatives stay on point

While the torrent of Liberal attacks aims to keep the Conservatives on the defensive, the government will attempt to plot a fresh course with a series of high-profile events Monday.

Harper will be in Montreal for a special meeting with foreign ministers about rebuilding Haiti.

Despite the popularity slide in the polls, the government has been highly visible on the Haitian crisis and has received accolades on their handling of the disaster.

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has also won plaudits for easing immigration restrictions on Haitians and for speeding up adoptions since the Jan. 12 quake.

Meanwhile, Industry Minister Tony Clement will be at York University in Toronto on Monday to highlight a recent project funded by federal infrastructure spending.

Infrastructure Minister John Baird will also be in the Toronto area making a spending announcement with provincial and local politicians.

Elsewhere, recently-minted Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose will be in Edmonton.

"We're focused, we're all working hard," said Tory MP Rick Dykstra Sunday, adding the Conservatives will table their new budget when Parliament resumes March 3.

"Our focus is getting ready for the budget."

The NDP, too, will be working over the break. Leader Jack Layton has already proposed legislation that would require a House vote on future prorogations, and he will be in British Columbia for a rally in Victoria.

Meanwhile, it's expected that when Parliament does resume in March, the political environment will be prickly.

Some of the big issues likely to be tackled will include the ongoing Afghan detainee controversy and Canada's performance at the climate change summit in Copenhagen.

Another big issue will be concern over the deficit, which was highlighted by a recent report from the Parliamentary Budget Office. The report found that Canada now has a structural deficit pegged at $20 billion.