(Ottawa) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau began a series of conversations with federal leaders on Tuesday to decide how to return to the House.
On his agenda, a discussion with Yves-François Blanchet on Tuesday afternoon and two others on Wednesday, one with Erin O’Toole, the other with Jagmeet Singh.
Parliamentary work will begin on November 22. Elected officials have to decide whether they will resume the hybrid form, adopted since the start of the pandemic, or whether they will all sit in person.
So far, the Bloc and the Conservatives have called for the return in person. New Democrats prefer keeping the hybrid form. Liberal intentions on this point remain unclear.
However, Mr. Trudeau has made it clear that he wants all elected officials to be vaccinated, in anticipation of this return.
“Canadians expect their elected representatives to lead by example,” read the statement released by the Prime Minister on Friday, in anticipation of these phone calls to other leaders.
His discussion Tuesday afternoon with Mr. Blanchet will not stumble on this point. All of Mr. Blanchet’s MPs, like those of Mr. Trudeau and those of Mr. Singh, are vaccinated against COVID-19.
At the last count among Conservative MPs, 79 of 119 confirmed their vaccination to The Canadian Press; among these, the 10 members from Quebec. Two of the remaining 40 have indicated that they refuse, on principle, to disclose their status; the other 38 simply did not respond.