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“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

DAN ALBAS: Many Canadians are paying closer attention to Ottawa than usual, given recent major developments: the Deputy Prime Minister's resignation.

Normally I would not be writing my weekly report on Christmas Eve, as most Canadians are rightly focused on the holidays rather than events in Ottawa.
However, these are not "normal" times, and the most frequently asked question I am receiving is "What will happen in Ottawa?"
Canadians are generally paying closer attention to Ottawa than usual, given recent major developments: the Deputy Prime Minister's resignation, the NDP leader's withdrawal of support for Prime Minister Trudeau, and a growing number of Liberal MPs calling for the Prime Minister's resignation.
Will Prime Minister Trudeau resign? Officially, he has stated he will take the holidays to "reflect" on this decision. It is highly unusual for a sitting Prime Minister to make such a statement, as it both emboldens his opponents and creates a "lame duck" period where critical issues stall and his priorities languish while people await a potential leadership change. In my view,
Mr. Trudeau will use this time to assess both his support base and the strength of internal opposition. While stating he needs time to reflect may buy him crucial time to regroup, it comes at the cost of relegating many important issues to the back burner.

The situation intensified last week after PM Trudeau's long-delayed cabinet shuffle. Several Liberal MPs, who had remained quiet while hoping for cabinet positions, are now openly calling for Trudeau's resignation.
This raises the most crucial question: Will the Prime Minister resign, call an election, or will Parliament force an election through a fall of the Liberal government—whether under Trudeau or a new Liberal leader?
Many Liberals favour a resignation, which would trigger a leadership race to select Trudeau's replacement. This approach faces two key challenges: PM Trudeau has not yet resigned or been forced out, and any Liberal MP who runs for leadership must step down from cabinet during the race—a process that requires considerable time.
A leadership race would hinder the Liberals ability to also run government at the same time. For this and a variety of other reasons some have suggested that PM Trudeau may prorogue Parliament.
For those unfamiliar, prorogation is a parliamentary procedure that ends the current session of Parliament. The Governor General issues this proclamation at the Prime Minister's request. Prorogation would buy time—either allowing Trudeau to quell dissent within Liberal party ranks or providing an opportunity for a Liberal leadership race to select his replacement.
This would create an opportunity for either Trudeau or a new Liberal leader to present a new Throne Speech when Parliament reconvenes.
For political reasons, prorogation would likely be the Liberals' preferred option—whether with or without Trudeau as leader—despite Trudeau's previous promise never to use it to evade an issue or matter of confidence.
The challenge with prorogation is particularly acute given Canada's current critical issues. While prorogation is a standard parliamentary tool, its appropriateness depends on the circumstances. The decision rests with the Governor General, who must grant consent.
Given that all opposition parties have declared their intention to vote against the Trudeau government, she may be reluctant to approve a prorogation lasting more than a few days or weeks. Though a lengthy prorogation would serve the Liberal Party's and Prime Minister's interests by allowing time for a leadership process, would a longer prorogation- that effectively shutters Parliament and lasts several months serve the public interest?
Many Canadians would be quite right in questioning why internal Liberal party dynamics take priority when it is clear the immigration system is broken, crime rates have reached record highs, and food bank usage has never been higher. Meanwhile, economic growth is declining. All of this is occurring alongside record Liberal deficit spending that has far exceeded the government's own fiscal targets. Canada also faces some significant tariff threats from the United States as a new President will be sworn in next month.
In short, federal leadership is critically needed at this time. The Liberals taking several months away from Parliament through prorogation would be both irresponsible and self-serving.
I strongly believe Canada needs a federal election as soon as possible, and I will address this crucial topic further in upcoming reports.
Before closing this week, I wish you all a wonderful and joyous holiday season.
My question this week: Are your Christmas holiday plans different this year compared to previous years?
I can be reached at Dan.Albas@parl.gc.ca or call toll-free 1-800-665-8711.

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