The Governor General of Canada, Mary Simon, on Monday approved Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's request to suspend parliamentary proceedings until March 24, as the Liberal Party prepares to choose a new party leader and a new Prime Minister.

Implications of the Decision

Suspending Parliament means resetting the legislative agenda when the House of Commons resumes its sessions in March, threatening the loss of many important bills. Among these laws are:

1. Online Harms Act:

The law aims to hold platforms like social media accountable for content used for bullying or inciting violence and hatred. However, the law faces widespread criticism for potentially conflicting with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

2. Citizenship Legislation:

A bill that grants citizenship to individuals born outside Canada to Canadian parents, who were also born outside the country. This law is considered an alternative to legislation passed by the Conservative government in 2009, which was ruled unconstitutional in 2023. With the deadline set by the courts to pass the law by March 19, it seems certain that the government will fail to meet this deadline without further extension.

Political Position

Resuming the discussion of stalled bills after Parliament is suspended requires the agreement of opposition parties, but these parties are seeking to topple the government entirely, making the future of these laws uncertain.