Justin Trudeau prorogues Canada Parliament until March 24, here’s what that means

OTTAWA: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday announced that he would resign as leader of the Liberal Party and as Prime Minister as soon as a new candidate is found for the post. He said that the Canadian Parliament would be prorogued, or suspended, until March 24.

While addressing a press conference on Monday, Trudeau said he advised Governor General Mary Simon that Canada needs a new session of Parliament. She agreed to the request to prorogue Parliament until March 24. “The fact is, despite best efforts to work through it, Parliament has been paralysed for months after what has been the longest session of a minority Parliament in Canadian history”, he said, referring to the government elected in 2021.

He said, “That’s why this morning, I advised the Governor General that we need a new session of Parliament. She has granted this request and the House will now be prorogued until March 24”. Here’s what the prorogation of Parliament means for the public and government:

I will always fight for this country, and do what I believe is in the best interest of Canadians. pic.twitter.com/AE2nSsx5Nu

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) January 7, 2025

Prorogation enables Canada’s PM to hit pause on Parliament. The government remains in power, however, all parliamentary activity, including existing bills and committee work to studies and investigations, comes to a halt, CBC News reported. A speech from the throne is then scheduled to start the next parliament session and outline the government’s intentions going forward.

Prorogation is different from dissolution as it terminates parliament and triggers a general election. In prorogation, Liberals will avoid a confidence vote and get more time to run a leadership race.

Trudeau stated that confidence votes which come after March 24 will “allow Parliament to weigh in on confidence in a way that is entirely in keeping with all the principles of democracy”, according to CBC News report.

When asked why he opted for prorogation instead of immediately setting off the next poll, he responded, “Anyone who’s been watching politics closely over the past months will know that Parliament has been entirely seized by obstruction, by filibustering and a total lack of productivity”. Trudeau said, “It’s time for a reset. It’s time for the temperature to come down.”

Prorogation has been used as a tactic during political crises. Earlier in 2020, Trudeau suspended Parliament during the COVID-19 pandemic and controversy over the WE Charity student volunteer grant programme. The Conservatives under then-PM Stephen Harper used prorogation to avoid a confidence vote in 2008, preventing all three opposition parties in their attempt to defeat his government, according to a CBC News report.

Harper’s government again used the tactic for two months in 2010, that time to kill a committee inquiry into the treatment of Afghan detainees. Liberal government under Jean Chretien was accused of using prorogation to avoid bringing a report on the sponsorship scandal in 2002-03.

During the press conference on Monday, Trudeau said, “I intend to resign as party leader and as Prime Minister after the party chooses next leader. If I have to fight internal battles I can’t be a good candidate. I have asked the liberal part president to search for a new candidate for the post of Prime Minister.”

Trudeau said that he will not put forth his candidature as a potential Prime Minister. “I will not be putting my candidature. The Liberal Party is an important institution in our country. We were elected for 3rd time in 2021 to advance Canada’s stand in the world. I never bow down when faced with a fight but I do this job because of the interest of Canadians and the interest of democracy that I hold dear. And it is clear, I can’t be that candidate due to internal battles,” he said.

Trudeau, while speaking about Former Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, said that he expected her to continue as the Deputy Prime Minister. “Chrystia (Freeland) has been a political partner for many years. I had hoped she would continue as deputy pm but she chose otherwise”, he said.

Trudeau added that Pierre Pollivere of the Conservative Party was not right for the country. “Pierre Pollivere’s vision is not right for this country”, he said. (ANI)