Parliamentary Sessions

Canadian Parliament Parliamentary Sessions

Sessions of Parliament begin with a summons from the governor-general. The first session of each new Parliament after a general election opens with a Speech from the Throne read by the governor-general. A session lasts for about eight months, and there must be at least one session per year. In the course of a session adjournments sometimes occur, and MPs can return to their ridings during these adjournments. In practice the government controls the timing of the close of a session and this usually occurs after both houses have finished approving or rejecting all of the government's bills and estimates. The governor-general makes a speech reviewing what has happened, and then prorogues (officially ends) Parliament until the next session. If a government is defeated on a significant vote in Commons and an election is called, the governor-general dissolves the existing Parliament until a new Commons is elected. By law, campaigns for national election last 36 days. The Senate does not meet during the campaign period.

The House of Commons and the Senate each meet in their own chambers, with provision to meet jointly in the Senate chamber for occasions such as the Speech from the Throne. Both houses occupy the Centre Block of the Parliament buildings in Ottawa, Ontario, with Commons at the west end and the Senate at the east end.

In Commons the prime minister, cabinet ministers, and government supporters sit to the right of the Speaker, who is the presiding officer of Commons. The prime minister occupies the 13th place in the front row, and the cabinet ministers are clustered around him.

Directly opposite the prime minister sit the leader of the official opposition and the members of the shadow cabinet (critics of the government appointed by the opposition leader). The official opposition is the party with the second-largest number of seats in Commons, but other parties can join the official opposition against the government and its party. The opposition is very important in holding the government accountable to the people. As a result, the opposition leaders are allotted extra salary, research funds, and other benefits to enable them to challenge the government.

Members who are not part of the leadership of either the governing or the opposing parties are assigned seats in the back rows; these members are called backbenchers. Seats are assigned by the party whips, who ensure attendance and party voting. The whips are chosen by their party leader.

The presiding officer of Commons is the Speaker. The first order of business when Commons meets after an election is to elect the Speaker by secret ballot. Although the Speaker is usually an MP from the majority party, he or she works to protect the rights of all members. The Speaker applies standing orders (the rules of procedure), makes rulings on points of order, puts matters to vote, and administers the operations of Commons. The Speaker also applies time limits for speeches. All speeches are formally addressed to the Speaker, but private exchanges do break out. To promote civilized exchanges, MPs are expected to refer to one another as the “honorable member,” and certain types of language have been ruled unparliamentary. Successful Speakers are able to read the mood of Commons and use their authority to defuse volatile situations.

Down the hall where the Senate sits, the atmosphere is less intense. While Commons meets five days a week, the Senate rarely sits for more than three days a week. A Speaker presides in the Senate, but the individual is chosen by the prime minister, not elected by Senate members. Most bills do not appear in the Senate until they have passed in Commons, and there are no question periods in the Senate. Unlike MPs, senators do not face reelection pressures and do not have to visit their districts regularly. The media has little interest in the Senate. All of these factors make life in the Senate less demanding than in Commons. (1)

More about the Canadian Parliament

• Canadian Parliament
• Parliament Powers
• Parliament Constitutional Conventions
• Responsible Government
• Collective Ministerial Responsibility
• Individual Ministerial Responsibility
• Debates About Ministerial Responsibility
• Parliament Membership
• Parliament Structure
• House of Commons
• Senate
• Governor-General
• Parliamentary Sessions
• Legislative Process
• Influences on the Legislative Process
• History of Parliament
• Parliament (in General in Canada)
• Parliament (in the World)

Resources

Notes and References

1. Encarta Online Encyclopedia

See Also

Law is our Passion

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This entry was last updated: March 23, 2014