Liberals unveil plan to make hybrid House of Commons sittings permanent

Government House Leader Mark Holland has unveiled the federal Liberals' plans to make hybrid sittings a permanent feature in the House of Commons.

Government House Leader Mark Holland has unveiled the federal Liberals’ plans to make hybrid sittings a permanent feature in the House of Commons.

What was enacted as a temporary measure to ensure Parliament’s business could continue safely during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic has since become a mainstay through a series of time-limited agreements.

And now, the minority Liberal government is looking to open up the Standing Orders once again, to cement these changes in the rulebook that governs the House.

Holland tabled a 25-page proposal, detailing more than 50 changes to the Standing Orders that will allow MPs to continue participating virtually in debates and committee meetings. It would also allow for the continuance of the Commons-developed electronic voting application that allows MPs to vote remotely from anywhere in Canada, with verification measures.

"Over the last year or so, we've settled in to a new normal," Holland told reporters in the West Block foyer on Thursday. "These provisions have worked well, and have been used responsibly."

This comes after the Procedure and House Affairs Committee recommended the hybrid structure and electronic voting system should become the new way of doing things, with some caveats. As part of the committee's work, MPs heard from current and former parliamentarians, as well as international parliamentary officials. 

In a response to the committee's work, the federal government indicated that it supported MPs' recommendations while noting that, ultimately, it will be up to the House to decide how to proceed.