House of Commons rises for the summer after all parties agree to early adjournment
The House of Commons rose for the summer overnight on Wednesday, after all parties agreed to end a politically intense spring sitting a few days early.
This followed MPs moving through some key Liberal bills and the Conservatives backing away from the spectre of an overnight voting marathon.
Government House Leader Mark Holland said Wednesday afternoon that with all sides seemingly ready to adjourn they were "nearing the conclusion" of the spring sitting. Discussions between political parties on Parliament Hill continued as of dinnertime, and by 8 p.m. ET a deal was reached.
Rising in the Chamber to seek unanimous consent, Holland asked that when the House adjourns at the end of Wednesday's sitting—expected before midnight—the Commons will remain closed until Monday, Sept. 18. He received no objection.
After spending a few more hours working through the outstanding agenda items, MPs wrapped up at 12:30 a.m. ET Thursday morning.
The House was scheduled to rise for a two-month hiatus as of Friday, but it's very common that all sides can come together to agree on breaking a day or two early.
That all-party desire to wrap up the sitting was evidenced following an arguably less-raucous question period than typical for this time of year, when Holland got unanimous consent for a motion prescribing how some key outstanding agenda items would be wrapped up.
Central to that motion was Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's caucus who not long ago said they were prepared to work "all summer long," agreeing to withdraw more than 200 votes opposing specific spending items within the main and supplementary estimates.
That allowed MPs to avoid a potentially hours-long vote-a-thon, and move through a few key votes and procedural traditions approving routine funding allotments for federal departments and agencies following a few hours of debate on the Conservatives' final balanced budget-focused opposition day motion.
WHAT PASSED, WHAT DIDN'T?
The government's motion also paved the way for outstanding priority legislation to be moved though the final stages of the House late Wednesday night.
This included passing Bill S-8 on immigration inadmissibility, and Bill C-42 regarding money laundering, as well as expediting a few newly-tabled pieces of legislation into the committee study stage, potentially setting up for summertime hearings.
In May, when Holland announced MPs would be holding midnight sittings nearly every night for the rest of the session in order to move the government's agenda through, he identified nine pieces of legislation that needed to pass before Parliament could adjourn.
Remarking on the early adjournment, Holland said that the Liberals managed to see 15 bills pass in the last 15 weeks. What he called the government being "extremely productive" was aided in some instances, by the government's use of time allocation to limit debate with the backing of the NDP.
While some key bills have fully cleared both chambers in recent weeks, including Bill C-22 on disability benefits and Bill C-13 regarding language protections, other pieces of legislation remain before the Senate.
This includes Bill C-47, the budget implementation legislation, and Bill C-18 regarding online news remuneration. Senators are on track to pass these government bills by the end of their scheduled sitting next week.
However, others are unlikely to make it through the Senate before it also takes a months-long break, including contentious gun control legislation Bill C-21, potentially leaving Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino's much-amended reforms in legislative limbo should the Liberals move to prorogue between now and the fall.
"Certainly we're having conversations with the Senate. Obviously the Senate is operating independently… but the conversations have been fruitful in ensuring that perhaps not everything but the vast majority of the legislation that we passed through the House, we can expect to see royal assent," Holland said.
"There's a number of things over the last two weeks, and certainly a number of things today that we'll be moving to the other chamber, and now they'll there'll be dealing with those."
Hanging in the air as MPs said their summer farewells and thanked their staff for the support through Hill 'silly season' are what opposition parties are hoping will be the announcement of a public process probing foreign interference, and persistent rumblings about a summer cabinet shuffle.
Wishing members "a wonderful summer break," House Speaker Anthony Rota sent MPs off telling them to enjoy themselves, "so that in September, we'll come back in full form."
IN DEPTH
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6922467.1718138898!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Supports for passengers, farmers, artists: 7 bills from MPs and Senators to watch in 2024
When parliamentarians return to Ottawa in a few weeks to kick off the 2024 sitting, there are a few bills from MPs and senators that will be worth keeping an eye on, from a 'gutted' proposal to offer a carbon tax break to farmers, to an initiative aimed at improving Canada's DNA data bank.
Opinion
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6850735.1713368648!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6974342.1721750853!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Edmonton gas station employee found guilty of terrorism charges in the U.K.
An Edmonton man has been convicted of multiple charges under the Terrorism Act in the United Kingdom.
Quebec mom devastated after man who killed her daughter in hit-and-run gets out after 5 months
A Montreal-area mother is furious with Quebec's justice system because the man who killed her 25-year-old daughter in a 2022 hit-and-run was released from jail after only serving one-sixth of his sentence behind bars.
BREAKING U.S. Secret Service director resigns after Trump assassination attempt
The director of the Secret Service is stepping down from her job, according to an email she sent to staff, following the assassination attempt against former U.S. president Donald Trump that unleashed intensifying outcry about how the agency tasked with protecting current and former presidents could fail in its core mission.
Waterloo, Ont. woman out thousands for car totalled by stolen hit-and-run driver
A woman in Waterloo, Ont. is out thousands of dollars for a car crash she wasn’t involved in.
BREAKING Polar bear at Calgary Zoo died by drowning following 'crushing' injury
The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo has revealed the cause of death for polar bear Baffin.
DEVELOPING Wildfire near Jasper National Park prompts evacuation order and highway closures
Multiple wildfires in Jasper National Park flared up with a vengeance late Monday night, forcing all park visitors along with the 4,700 residents of the Jasper townsite to flee west with little notice over mountain roads through darkness, soot, and ash.
Do you need a lawyer when making a will in Canada?
Many people believe that creating a will requires the services of a lawyer, but this isn't always the case. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew explains a lawyer's role when crafting your last will and testament.
BREAKING Biden to speak Wednesday about his decision to drop 2024 re-election bid
U.S. President Joe Biden will address the nation from the Oval Office on Wednesday evening on his decision to drop his 2024 Democratic reelection bid.
What Canadians should know about a possible Kamala Harris U.S. presidency
Observers expect Kamala Harris to follow U.S. President Joe Biden’s roadmap for America’s relationship with Canada as she moves to secure the Democratic party's presidential nomination.
Local Spotlight
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6974237.1721746558!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
Ottawa Humane Society reunites Montreal family with cat missing for 8 years
A cat who fled her Montreal home nearly a decade ago has been reunited with her family after being found in Ottawa.
Waterloo, Ont. woman out thousands for car totalled by stolen hit-and-run driver
A woman in Waterloo, Ont. is out thousands of dollars for a car crash she wasn’t involved in.
'It looks scary, but they're harmless': Bees removed from Winnipeg street light
A swarm of bees living in a lamppost in Winnipeg’s Sage Creek neighbourhood has found a new home for its hive.
'Powerful symbol of the progress we have made': Land being returned to Manitoba Métis Federation
Around 100 acres of Manitoba Crown Land near the Saskatchewan border is being returned to the Métis community.
Cape Breton moose hunting suspended for 3 years due to 'significant' drop in population
Nova Scotia is suspending the licensed Cape Breton moose hunt for three years due to what the province is calling a “significant drop” in the population.
Social media prank could lead to charges after teens allegedly damage homes
A well-known childhood prank known as 'nicky nicky nine doors,' or 'ding dong ditch,' has escalated into a more serious game that could lead to charges for some Surrey, B.C. teens.
Benefit concert to be held for N.B. teen badly injured in 'freak accident'
It's been more than a month since their good friend was seriously hurt in an accident and two teens from Riverview, N.B., are still having a hard time dealing with it.
Here's what happens to rejected Halifax bridge coins
Halifax bridges have collected thousands of coins from around the world.
Video shows B.C. grizzly basking in clawfoot tub
A donated clawfoot bathtub has become the preferred lounging spot for a pair of B.C. grizzly bears, who have been taking turns relaxing and reclining in it – with minimal sibling squabbling – for the past year.