OTTAWA - Parliament will be recalled for legislation to free up billions in financial aid for Canadians and businesses to weather the COVID-19 crisis, likely next week.
But it won't be business as usual in the House of Commons and Senate, which adjourned last week as part of a nationwide bid to maintain social distance to prevent spread of the illness.
Government House leader Pablo Rodriguez says the government will need to send a letter to the Speaker of the Commons, Anthony Rota, requesting that Parliament be recalled to deal with the emergency measures.
Once Rota accepts the request, Rodriguez says the Commons will be in session 48 hours later.
Rodriguez is in discussions with his opposition counterparts to determine how to minimize the number of MPs who will actually return to debate and vote on the legislation, while maintaining each party's proportional share of seats.
Only 20 MPs are required for quorum in the 338-seat Commons but Rodriguez says maybe 25 or 30, preferably those who don't have to travel by plane to Ottawa, will be needed.
Rodriguez said the government is aiming to have Parliament back next week and expressed confidence that opposition parties will co-operate to speedily pass the legislation. He pointed to the fact that opposition parties came together last week to enact the new North American trade agreement and to keep money flowing for government operations before adjourning.
"We all saw how quickly the House and the Senate can react to the extraordinary situations by working together in the best interests of Canadians and the government intends to continue to be open, transparent and ensure as much information as possible with all MPs, with all senators," he said during a news conference Wednesday.
"We're all united in this crisis. We will face it together"