With King Charles III set to deliver the throne speech, the first by a reigning monarch in Canada since 1977, the 45th parliament opens amid regal spectacle, political urgency, and high stakes. From Prime Minister Mark Carney’s rookie debut in the House to a frantic 20-day legislative sprint, here’s what to expect from the spring sitting.

King Charles and Queen Camilla arrive in Ottawa. / TWITTER PHOTO

The opening of the 45th parliament this week combines regal pomp, procedural choreography and political calculation ahead of the spring sitting. Here’s what to expect.

A royal start to a new parliament

King Charles III is set to deliver the speech from the throne on Tuesday, May 27, in the Senate chamber, a symbolic act that underscores the continuity of Canada's sovereignty and system of constitutional monarchy.

While the speech is traditionally read by the governor general as the Crown’s representative, King Charles’ participation comes as Canada seeks to assert itself during a time of increased geopolitical and global trade uncertainty, not least around a fractured relationship with the United States. The last time a sovereign delivered the throne speech in Canada was Queen Elizabeth II in 1977.

The throne speech: Broad themes, tight timeline

The throne speech will lay out Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government's priorities for the coming session, drawing from pledges made during the election campaign, in the Liberal platform and in the single mandate letter from Carney to his cabinet.

In his letter, Carney specified his government’s priorities as establishing a new economic and security relationship with the U.S., building the Canadian economy and facilitating interprovincial trade, addressing cost-of-living challenges, protecting Canada’s sovereignty, attracting talent while returning immigration to sustainable levels and spending less on government operations.

Given the compressed spring sitting and the Liberals’ minority status, it is reasonable to expect a relatively concise speech aimed at finding enough common ground with opposition parties to advance the government’s agenda while avoiding defeat in a confidence vote.

Spring sitting will be a sprint, not a marathon

The opening of the 45th Canadian Parliament this week combines regal pomp, procedural choreography and political calculation ahead of the spring sitting. Here’s what to expect.

A royal start to a new Parliament

King Charles III is set to deliver the Speech from the Throne on Tuesday, May 27, in the Senate chamber, a symbolic act that underscores the continuity of Canada's sovereignty and system of constitutional monarchy.

While the speech is traditionally read by the Governor General as the Crown’s representative, King Charles’ participation comes as Canada seeks to assert itself during a time of increased geopolitical and global trade uncertainty, not least around a fractured relationship with the United States. The last time a sovereign delivered the Speech from the Throne in Canada was Queen Elizabeth II in 1977.

The Speech from the Throne: Broad themes, tight timeline

The throne speech will lay out Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government's priorities for the coming session, drawing from pledges made during the election campaign, in the Liberal platform and in the single mandate letter from Carney to his cabinet.

In his letter, Carney specified as his government’s priorities establishing a new economic and security relationship with the U.S., building the Canadian economy and facilitating interprovincial trade, addressing cost-of-living challenges, protecting Canada’s sovereignty and attracting talent while returning immigration to sustainable levels and spending less on government operations.

Given the compressed spring sitting and the Liberals’ minority status, it is reasonable to expect a relatively concise speech aimed at finding enough common ground with opposition parties to advance the government’s agenda while avoiding defeat in a confidence vote.

Spring sitting will be a sprint, not a marathon

This spring sitting will be unusually brief, with the parliamentary calendar specifying a maximum of 20 sitting days for the Liberal government to get its most time-sensitive campaign promises — including a ways and means motion to enact a “middle class tax cut” and deliver interprovincial trade free of federal barriers by Canada Day, July 1 — from introduction to royal assent before the House of Commons is scheduled to shut down for the summer on June 20 at the latest. The government will have to make swift decisions on which bills to prioritize and conduct behind-the-scenes negotiations with opposition parties to secure support, or at least avoid defeat.

With Parliament not having sat since December 2024, and 117 new MPs in the House following the 2025 federal election, the first week or two could feel somewhat chaotic with newly elected MPs still learning the ropes and returning members adjusting to new roles. The government’s ability to keep its legislative agenda on track will depend heavily on its House leadership and the tone it sets from day one.

Unusually, the Liberal government will not table a budget in the spring sitting. On May 18, Carney said the budget will come in the fall instead, citing a need for clarity on defence spending plans, the overall economic outlook and to advance efforts to make the government more efficient. “We will have a much more comprehensive, effective, ambitious, prudent budget in the fall,” he said. “You do these things right, and that’s what we’re going to do.”

Sitting days in short supply

In addition to legislation advancing the government’s agenda, the House will be required to debate and vote on the business of supply — operating funding for government departments and programs. The current supply cycle ends June 23. Before a vote can be held on supply, officially recognized parties in the House — the Conservatives and the Bloc Québécois — are entitled to “opposition days,” during which they are entitled to debate and move motions on any topic of their choosing.

In a normal spring sitting, seven or eight such days would be divided up between opposition parties, but with a truncated sitting before the scheduled summer break, the number of opposition days will likely be around four.

Additionally, while not technically mandatory according to the rules of the House, members are expected to debate the Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne, potentially further tightening the number of sitting days available for the government to advance its agenda before the summer break.

Questions remain over the timing of the establishment of parliamentary committees, which usually take several weeks to get up and running following the beginning of a session. It is possible that committees will not commence their business in earnest until the fall, although some may be up and running before that. Notably, the Standing Committee on Finance is required to conduct consultations with stakeholders across the economy in advance of the budget. While deadlines for pre-budget submissions usually fall in the summer, stakeholders will want to watch especially closely for specific submission timelines given the changed budget timing.

While supply bills are subject to the same procedural process as other bills, including committee study, they can also be voted in under a Committee of the Whole — that is, the House of Commons turns into one committee with all MPs, rather than individual committees.

What’s at stake

Prime Minister Mark Carney rises for the first time as an elected MP in the House of Commons. CPAC SCREENSHOT

For Prime Minister Carney, who as a rookie MP has never participated in debate in the House chamber or faced the daily cut-and-thrust of Question Period, the opening of Parliament is the first opportunity to show Canadians how he plans to govern, as well as his government’s first real test in the House chamber. For opposition parties it is the first chance to set the tone going forward, and pick themselves up from what will have been a disappointing election result for the Conservatives, Bloc Québécois and NDP.

Notably, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who lost his seat in the 2025 election, will be absent from the House until after the summer break at least. Conservative MP Andrew Scheer, a former party leader and House Speaker, will be the interim official opposition leader in the Commons. Poilievre says he will run in a byelection in Battle River—Crowfoot, Alta., in order to get back into the House.

The NDP under interim leader Don Davies will be much less of a force in the House, with seven MPs and without the official party status that affords them resources and membership of House committees. Expect the NDP to undergo a period of self-reflection as they seek to move forward from a devastating election result.

A significant non-parliamentary milestone this spring will be the G7 summit, which Canada will host in Kananaskis, Alta. Leaders from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union are attending. U.S. President Donald Trump has confirmed he will attend the summit. The NATO summit will follow in July, with potential ramifications for Canada’s defence spending plans.

With King Charles III in attendance to kick off the 45th Canadian Parliament, another minority Liberal government in place — albeit under a new prime minister — and limited time to advance its agenda this spring, the coming session promises more than a little drama. Stay tuned.