44th Canadian Parliament

The 44th Canadian Parliament was in session from 22 November 2021 to 23 March 2025, with the membership of the House of Commons having been determined by the results of the 2021 federal election held on 20 September. Parliament officially resumed on 22 November with the re-election of Speaker Anthony Rota, and the Speech from the Throne was read by Governor General Mary Simon the following day. It was dissolved before the 2025 federal election.

Overview

The 44th Parliament corresponded to a Liberal Party minority government under the premiership of Justin Trudeau, with Trudeau succeeded by Mark Carney for its final nine days. Six months into the first session, on 22 March 2022, it was announced that the New Democratic Party would support the government with confidence and supply measures.^[1][2] The support was contingent on the government implementing a Pharmacare program and a dental care program. The temporary Canada Dental Benefit was established in December 2022, and the permanent Canadian Dental Care Plan began rolling out in December 2023.^[3][4] The NDP ended their confidence and supply arrangement with the Liberal government on 4 September 2024.

On 6 January 2025, amid political pressure, Trudeau announced that he would resign as leader of the Liberal Party and as prime minister once his successor was elected. He also advised the Governor General to prorogue Parliament until 24 March while his successor was determined, thus ending the first session of the 44th Parliament; he stated that "despite best efforts to work through it, Parliament has been paralyzed for months."^[5][6]

Mark Carney was elected as Liberal leader on 9 March and was appointed prime minister on 14 March. Carney advised the Governor General to dissolve Parliament on 23 March, triggering a general election on 28 April.

Sessions

There was one session of the 44th Parliament:

Major events

2021

• 20 September – In the 44th Canadian federal election, the incumbent Liberal Party wins the most seats in the House of Commons, but fails to reach a majority government.^[8]
• 26 October – The new Ministry is sworn in, the first overseen by Governor General Mary Simon.^[9]
• 22 November – Opening of the 44th Parliament, and re-election of the Honourable Anthony Rota as Speaker of the House of Commons.^[10]

2022

• 2 February – Erin O'Toole is removed as the leader of the Conservative Party, and consequently as the Leader of the Official Opposition, in a caucus vote.^[11]
• 21 February – The House of Commons votes to confirm the Emergencies Act, with 185 for and 151 opposing the motion. The act was invoked in relation to the convoy protests in Ottawa and at border points.^[12]
• 23 February – The equivalent Emergencies Act confirmation motion in the Senate is withdrawn without a vote by Representative of the Government in the Senate, Marc Gold, following the revocation of the Emergencies Act by the government earlier that day.^[13]
• 22 March – The Liberal Party and New Democratic Party announce a confidence-and-supply agreement that will see the NDP support the Liberals on confidence motions (including budgets) until 2025 in exchange for Liberal support of certain NDP policies.^[14]
• 10 September – The 2022 Conservative Party leadership election concludes. Pierre Poilievre is elected as the new Conservative leader.^[15]
• 19 November – The 2022 Green Party leadership election concludes. MP and former leader Elizabeth May is once again announced as the new leader of the Green Party of Canada, in partnership with Jonathan Pedneault, who is named as the de jure deputy leader of the Greens.^[16]

2023

• 31 March – Former Conservative Party leader Erin O'Toole announces that he will resign as Member of Parliament for Durham at the end of the spring season of the House of Commons and not seek re-election.^[17][18]
• 26 July – The Liberal government holds a major cabinet reshuffle.^[19]
• 26 September – After pressure from government cabinet ministers and Opposition parliamentary leaders, the Speaker of the House of Commons, Liberal MP Anthony Rota, announces that he will resign from that position effective 27 September 2023, after erroneously inviting to the House gallery and honouring a 98-year-old Ukrainian war veteran, Yaroslav Hunka, who was found to have served in the armed forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. Rota's invitation of Hunka took place during a state visit and parliamentary address by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.^[20]
• 27 September – The members of the House of Commons unanimously nominate the Dean of the House, Bloc Québécois MP Louis Plamondon, as their interim Speaker to temporarily succeed Anthony Rota after his resignation, until a permanent successor is chosen by a ballot of MPs in the following week.^[20]
• 3 October – Liberal MP Greg Fergus is elected speaker of the House of Commons. He is the first person of colour to be elected speaker.^[21]

2024

• 16 January – Liberal MP Carolyn Bennett for Toronto—St. Paul's resigns her seat.
• 1 February – Liberal MP David Lametti for LaSalle—Émard—Verdun resigns his seat.
• 31 March – NDP MP Daniel Blaikie for Elmwood—Transcona resigns his seat.
• 30 April Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre was ejected from the House of Commons after referring to Trudeau as a "wacko prime minister", when criticizing Trudeau's past support for British Columbia's decriminalization of hard drug use in public spaces. After Poilievre refused to withdraw the adjective, House Speaker Greg Fergus removed Poilievre from the chamber on the grounds that he used unparliamentary language.^[22]
• 27 May – Liberal MP John Aldag for Cloverdale—Langley City resigns his seat.
• 28 May - The House of Commons votes 168 to 142 against a motion to remove Greg Fregus as speaker. The Liberals, Greens, and New Democrats voted against removing him, while the Bloc Québécois and Conservatives voted in favour of removing him.^[23]
• 24 June – Conservative MP Don Stewart is elected as the new member for Toronto—St. Paul's following a by-election, in a pickup of the seat from the Liberals.
• 31 August – Liberal MP Andy Fillmore for Halifax resigns his seat.
• 4 September – The New Democratic Party ends their confidence-and-supply agreement with the Liberals.
• 16 September – NDP MP Leila Dance is elected as the new member for Elmwood—Transcona, retaining the seat for her party, and Bloc Québécois MP Louis-Philippe Sauvé wins the riding of LaSalle—Émard—Verdun, in a pickup from the Liberals.
• 19 September – Liberal MP Pablo Rodriguez of Honoré-Mercier resigns his membership in the Liberal caucus and federal cabinet to sit as an independent MP while he runs for the leadership of the Quebec Liberal Party.
• 20 November – Minister of Employment, Workforce Development, and Official Languages Randy Boissonnault resigns from Cabinet due to allegations of falsely claiming he was of Cree ancestry. He remains the MP for Edmonton Centre.
• 9 December – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal Government survives a third motion of no confidence, with the Conservatives and Bloc Québécois voting for the motion, and the Liberals, NDP, and Greens opposed.
• 16 December –
  • Minister of Housing, Infrastructure, and Communities Sean Fraser vows to not seek re-election and ends his role as minister in the next Cabinet shuffle.
  • Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland resigns from the federal Cabinet but remains an MP.^[24]
  • Conservative MP Tamara Jansen is elected as the new member for Cloverdale—Langley City in a by-election, resulting in a pickup from the Liberal Party, retaking the riding and seat after her earlier defeat in the 2021 federal election.^[25]

2025

• 6 January – Trudeau announces the prorogation of parliament in addition his resignation as Prime Minister and as leader of the Liberal Party, effective upon the election of his successor as party leader in the 2025 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election.^[26]
• 20 January – Independent MP Pablo Rodriguez for Honoré-Mercier resigns his seat.^[27]
• 30 January – NDP MP Randall Garrison for Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke resigns his seat.
• 9 March – Mark Carney wins the Liberal Party of Canada's leadership election and becomes the prime minister-designate, pending his swearing-in by Governor General of Canada Mary Simon.^[28]
• 14 March –
  • Trudeau resigns as prime minister, and is succeeded by Carney, who is sworn in by the governor general, along with his ministry.
  • Liberal MP Marco Mendicino for Eglinton—Lawrence resigns his seat.
• 23 March – Governor General Mary Simon dissolves parliament and sets April 28 as the date of the federal election, upon Prime Minister Carney's request.

Legislation and motions

With the Liberal Party and NDP entering into a confidence and supply agreement on budgetary items and motions of confidence, the final component of the 2021 budget (Bill C-8) was adopted in June 2022. Among other provisions, Bill C-8 enacted the Underused Housing Tax Act, created a new tax credit to return carbon tax paid by farmers, created the COVID-19 Air Quality Improvement Tax Credit, and expanded both the School Supplies Tax Credit and the northern residents deduction amount.^[29] Similarly, the 2022 budget was implemented in Bills C-19 and C-32. Among other provisions, Bill C-19 doubled the Home Accessibility Tax Credit, created the Labour Mobility Deduction for tradespeople, made vaping products subject to excise duties, removed excise duties from low-alcohol beer, removed the excise duty exemption that had applied to Canadian wine as directed by the WTO, and amended the Copyright Act as agreed to in the Canada-United States–Mexico Agreement, and criminalized Holocaust denial. Bill C-19 also enacted the Civil Lunar Gateway Agreement Implementation Act; the Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act; and the Select Luxury Items Tax Act to create a new sales tax applicable to luxury cars, planes and boats; and also repealed the Safe Drinking Water for First Nations Act.^[30] Bill C-32 created the First Home Savings Account as a new registered savings plan and the Multigenerational Home Renovation Tax Credit; made income derived from house-flipping into business income for taxation purposes; created a temporary 15% tax on the taxable income of banks that exceeded $1 billion; and, in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, increased maximum financial assistance that can be provided to foreign states from US$5 billion to C$14 billion.^[31] In other legislation, Bill C-11 adopted the Online Streaming Act and Bill C-18 adopted the Online News Act.

On healthcare, the Canada Dental Benefit was created with Bill C-31 with the Liberals, NDP and Green Party in support, and Conservatives and Bloc opposed.^[32] With all party support, Bill C-10 directed $2.5 billion be paid for COVID testing purposes; Bill C-12 amended guaranteed income supplements to exclude payments received from the Emergency Response Benefit, the Recovery Benefit and the Worker Lockdown Benefit.^[33][34] With both the NDP and Conservatives opposing, Bill C-2 enacted the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit Act and extended various other COVID-related benefit programs.^[35] On public safety and crime, with all party support, Bill C-3 inserted a new offence into the Criminal Code regarding intimidation of a person seeking health services and obstruction of lawful access to a place at which health services are provided.^[36] Bill C-28 was adopted in response to R v Brown (2022) addressing self-induced extreme intoxication.^[37]

Parliamentarians

House of Commons

Senate

Committees

Source:^[38]

House Committees

Joint Committees

Senate

Ministry

The 29th Canadian Ministry was formed during the 42nd Canadian Parliament and lasted until near the end of the 44th Canadian Parliament. The 30th Canadian Ministry began near the end of the 42nd Canadian Parliament.

Officeholders

House of Commons

Presiding officer

Government leadership (Liberal)

Opposition leadership (Conservative)

Senate

Presiding officer

Government leadership (non-affiliated)

Opposition leadership (Conservative)

Changes to party standings

By-elections

Membership changes

Senate

See also

• 2021 Canadian federal budget
• 2022 Canadian federal budget
• 2023 Canadian federal budget
• 2024 Canadian federal budget
• Affordable Housing and Groceries Act, Bill C-56
• Countering Foreign Interference Act
• Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet of the 44th Parliament of Canada
• Online Streaming Act, Bill C-11
• Women in the 44th Canadian Parliament

Notes

1. ^ The New Democratic Party provided confidence and supply for the Liberal Party government from March 2022 to September 2024.

References

1. ^ Blatchford, Andy (2022-03-22). "Trudeau will be prime minister until 2025". POLITICO
2. ^ Scherer, Steve & Shakil, Ismail (2022-03-22). "Canada's Trudeau strikes surprise deal to keep power until 2025". Reuters. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
3. ^ Wilson, Jim (19 January 2024). "11.4 million uninsured Canadians to be excluded from national public dental care plan: Report". Canadian HR Reporter. KM Business Information Canada. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
4. ^ Rachini, Mouhamad (12 December 2023). "Canada's new dental care plan could impact nearly 9 million Canadians — are you one of them?". CBC News. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
5. ^ "Justin Trudeau stepping down as Liberal leader, to stay on as PM for now". CTV News. 2025-01-06. Archived from the original on 6 January 2025. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
6. ^ Tunney, Catharine & Cochrane, David (January 6, 2025). "Trudeau to resign as prime minister after Liberal leadership race". CBC News. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
7. ^ Government of Canada. "Parliaments – Duration of Sessions". ParlInfo. Library of Parliament. Archived November 14, 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 4, 2007.
8. ^ Tasker, John Paul (20 September 2021). "Canadians have re-elected a Liberal minority government". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
9. ^ Catharine Tunney (25 October 2021). "Anand to defence, Joly to foreign affairs: Trudeau announces major cabinet shakeup". CBC. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
10. ^ "NewsAlert: MPs re-elect Liberal Anthony Rota to be House of Commons Speaker". INFOnews. Retrieved 2021-11-22.
11. ^ Tasker, John Paul (2 February 2022). "Conservative MPs vote to remove Erin O'Toole as leader". CBC News. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
12. ^ Major, Darren (21 February 2022). "Emergencies Act passes crucial House of Commons vote with NDP support". CBC News. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
13. ^ "MOTION TO CONFIRM THE DECLARATION OF A PUBLIC ORDER EMERGENCY WITHDRAWN". 23 February 2022. p. 686.
14. ^ Aiello, Rachel (22 March 2022). "Liberals, NDP agree to confidence deal seeing Trudeau government maintain power until 2025". CTV News. Archived from the original on 22 March 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
15. ^ Tasker, John Paul (10 September 2022). "Conservative members pick MP Pierre Poilievre to be their new leader". CBC News. Archived 10 September 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
16. ^ "Leadership Contest Announcement"
17. ^ "Former Conservative leader Erin O'Toole not seeking re-election, leaving this spring". ctvnews.ca. 31 March 2023. Archived from the original on 31 March 2023.
18. ^ "A statement from the Hon. Erin O'Toole, P.C., C.D., M.P.". No. 1641780108414316544. 31 March 2023. Archived 31 March 2023 at the Wayback Machine.
19. ^ "Trudeau overhauls his cabinet, drops 7 ministers and shuffles most portfolios". CBC. 26 July 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
20. ^ "Anthony Rota resigns as Speaker after honouring Ukrainian veteran who fought with Nazi unit". CBC News. 26 September 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
21. ^ "Liberal MP Greg Fergus elected Speaker of the House of Commons". CBC. 3 October 2023. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
22. ^ Tasker, John (30 April 2024). "Speaker kicks Poilievre out of the Commons after he calls PM a 'wacko' in tense question period exchange". CBC News. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
23. ^ "House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus survives vote calling for his ouster". CTVNews. 2024-05-28. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
24. ^ "Finance minister Chrystia Freeland quits cabinet hours before economic update". CTV News. December 16, 2024. Archived from the original on 16 December 2024.
25. ^ "Conservatives decisively win B.C. federal byelection, dealing another blow to Trudeau". CBC News. December 16, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
26. ^ Aziz, Saba; Boynton, Sean; Rana, Uday (January 6, 2025). "Trudeau says he will resign after Liberals choose successor, prorogues Parliament". globalnews.ca. Global News. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
27. ^ "The Hon. Pablo Rodriguez, P.C., M.P.". Parliament of Canada. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
28. ^ Tunney, Catharine (March 9, 2025). "In landslide win, Mark Carney chosen as new Liberal Party leader and next PM". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Retrieved March 10, 2025.
29. ^ Barton, Andrew; Capwell, Brett; Kachulis, Eleni; Léonard, André; Malo, Joëlle (12 January 2022). "Legislative Summary of Bill C-8: An Act to implement certain provisions of the economic and fiscal update tabled in Parliament on December 14, 2021 and other measures". Library of Parliament.
30. ^ Barton, Andrew & Béchard, Julie et al. (30 May 2022). "Legislative Summary of Bill C-19: An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on 7 April 2022 and other measures". Library of Parliament.
31. ^ Fleury, Sylvain & Blackshaw, Matthew et al. (30 December 2022). "An Act to implement certain provisions of the Fall Economic Statement Tabled in Parliament on November 3, 2022 and Certain Provisions of the Budget Tabled in Parliament on April 7, 2022". Library of Parliament.
32. ^ Aiello, Rachel (17 November 2022). "A national dental-care benefit is now law; here's who is eligible". CTV News
33. ^ "Legislation to increase access to rapid testing across the country receives Royal Assent". Government of Canada. 4 March 2022.
34. ^ "Legislation to support low-income seniors who received pandemic benefits receives royal assent". Government of Canada. 3 March 2022.
35. ^ Kachulis, Eleni; Keenan-Pelletier, Michaela; Malo, Joëlle; Tiedemann, Marlisa; Yon, Adriane (1 February 2022). "Legislative Summary of Bill C-2: An Act to Provide Further Support in Response to COVID-19". Library of Parliament.
36. ^ "How Bill C-3 can work for you: What the anti-harassment law means for doctors". Canadian Medical Association. 12 January 2023.
37. ^ Eñano, Katrina (28 June 2022). "Bill abolishing 'self-induced extreme intoxication' as legal defence receives royal assent". Canadian Lawyer. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
38. ^ "List of Committees". www.ourcommons.ca. Retrieved 2024-12-09.
39. ^ Burke, Ashley (22 September 2021). "Expelled Liberal candidate says he'll sit as an Independent as angry voters call for byelection". CBC News
40. ^ "Mississauga Liberal MP resigns to work for United Nations less than a year after re-election". Mississauga.com. 19 May 2022. Retrieved 2022-05-29.
41. ^ "Sven Spengemann – Member of Parliament – Members of Parliament". House of Commons of Canada. Retrieved 2022-05-29.
42. ^ "Liberal Charles Sousa wins federal byelection in Mississauga-Lakeshore, CBC News projects". CBC News. 12 December 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
43. ^ Connolly, Amanda & Boutilier, Alex. "Quebec MP Alain Rayes leaves Conservative caucus after Poilievre victory". Global News. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
44. ^ Elections Canada (16 December 2022). "A Federal Seat is Vacant in Winnipeg South Centre". Retrieved 12 March 2023.
45. ^ Elections Canada (5 January 2023). "A Federal Seat is Vacant in Calgary Heritage". Retrieved 12 March 2023.
46. ^ Elections Canada (2 February 2023). "A Federal Seat is Vacant in Oxford". Retrieved 12 March 2023.
47. ^ Elections Canada (2 March 2023). "A By-Election Will Take Place in Portage–Lisgar". Retrieved 12 March 2023.
48. ^ Elections Canada (10 March 2023). "A By-Election Will Take Place in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce–Westmount". Retrieved 12 March 2023.
49. ^ Catharine Tunney (22 March 2023). "MP Han Dong leaving Liberal caucus, denies allegations of working against release of 2 Michaels". CBC News. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
50. ^ "Carolyn Bennett, longtime Liberal MP and cabinet minister, stepping down | Globalnews.ca"
51. ^ Merkowsky, Clare Marie (26 January 2024). "Trudeau's former Justice Minister resigns from Parliament days after Emergencies Act ruling"
52. ^ Kives, Bartley (28 February 2024). "Winnipeg MP Daniel Blaikie resigning from Elmwood-Transcona seat to work for Manitoba premier". CBC News
53. ^ Paas-Lang, Christian (19 May 2024). "Liberal MP John Aldag announces resignation, looks to run for provincial NDP in B.C."

External links

• Members of 44th Parliament at Parliament of Canada