'We don't have much time': Parliament's fall sitting begins with plenty of political posturing

The fall sitting of Parliament began Monday with plenty of political posturing given the new minority dynamics and the threat of an early general election looming overhead.

The fall sitting of Parliament began Monday with plenty of political posturing given the new minority dynamics and the threat of an early general election looming overhead.

Parliament's return comes as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is facing persistent election pressure from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, whose party maintained a definitive lead over the Liberals in public opinion polls all summer.

Trudeau is also contending with the loss of assumed support from the NDP after Jagmeet Singh "ripped up" the two parties' supply-and-confidence agreement, declaring a desire to spend the rest of this Parliament going vote-by-vote.

But as Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet positions his caucus to capture the balance of power, the prime minister’s minority Liberal government has political options to stay afloat. But for how long remains the central question.

All these factors played out in the first question period of the fall sitting. First, it was Poilievre previewing a new catchphrase.

"After nine years of NDP-Liberals, taxes up, costs up, crime is up, time's up," the Official Opposition leader quipped.

Then, Blanchet asked Trudeau to explain to retired people aged 65 to 74 why their pension cheques are 10 per cent lower than retirees who are 75 and over, hitting on one of his party's first demands for policy action if the Liberals want their votes.