As the year comes to a close, it ends much the way it started. Pictured: Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. Photo Credit: Pierre Poilievre/X.
The Christmas party circuit is in full swing in Ottawa, and parliamentarians are chomping at the bit to get back to their ridings after a whirlwind fall session.
There are still a number of procedural matters to deal with before the great escape, including a series of non-confidence motions set to be moved by the Conservatives. The Fall Economic Statement, which lays out the fiscal plan ahead of the next budget has also fallen to the wayside. With parliament set to rise in less than two weeks, it remains unclear when, and where, the government will unveil the roadmap.
Then there’s the stalemate that has been crippling the House of Commons and preventing the passage of the majority of bills. It’s not expected to end anytime soon, which should give Canadians pause for concern. If the only function of parliament is to allow for the political fireworks associated with the daily Question Period, and the occasional passing of shotgun legislation, there is the deeper matter of confidence to discuss.
The U.S. presidential administration change that will happen next month has also created a vacuum of news about impending tariffs, inciting reactionary narratives from all political parties with respect to how to solve for the holes in Canada’s border security to appease President-elect Donald Trump.
As the year comes to a close, it ends much the way it started. The steady lead of Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre has only increased, as he begins the process of building on core campaign policies like housing and criminal justice.
Poilievre has spent the year criss-crossing the country, and as he continues the process of building on core campaign promises like getting housing built, and cracking down on crime, it’s clear that the Conservatives haven’t yet hit their ceiling of luring accessible Liberal and NDP voters over to their side.
Despite the Liberals best efforts to spend their way out of the problem, first with a budget rollout to the tune of several billion dollars, and then with a short-sighted GST holiday, the fatigue that Canadians are feeling toward Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, too, has only entrenched itself more in the face of time.
One thing is certain and it’s the fact that a federal election is coming soon. As Canadians weigh the options before them, they will be reflecting not only on the dysfunction within Canada’s own parliamentary system, but the uncertainty now looming from south of the border.
What will no longer win the media cycle is cheap policy ploys that promise to help with affordability challenges when the Canadian economy is facing real and imminent threats. Canadians deserve a serious plan from a functioning parliament that delivers real and stated outcomes.
The Liberal government still has a few tools at their disposal to demonstrate they have the ability to get their act together on the country’s finances. Based on the already late delivery of the fall fiscal plan, Canadians should look elsewhere for concrete solutions.
Josie Sabatino is a Senior Consultant at Summa Strategies, focused on providing strategic insight and helping clients meet their objectives in an ever changing and complex political and regulatory environment. Prior to joining Summa, Josie spent nearly a decade in political communications and most recently served as the Director of Communications to the Hon. Erin O’Toole, former Leader of the Official Opposition.
