Liberals Plan Motion for Majority on Commons Committees

OTTAWA - The Liberal government of Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to introduce a motion this week to reshape the composition of House of Commons committees, ensuring the party holds a majority on the panels following its recent shift to a majority government.

Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon announced the plan in a social media post on Tuesday, stating that the change would align committee seats with the Liberals' new 174 seats in the 338-member chamber. "There is an undeniable, longstanding principle in Parliament: a party that has the majority of seats in the House also has a majority in committees," MacKinnon wrote. He added that Prime Minister Carney and his government are determined to work constructively in both the House and committees.

The move comes after the Liberals secured their majority through a combination of three byelection victories on April 13 in Toronto-area ridings and the Montreal suburb of Terrebonne, plus five opposition members who crossed the floor to join the party in recent months. This pushed the Liberals from 169 seats, won in last April's general election, to 174, crossing the 172-seat threshold for a majority. The new members have not...