42nd Canadian Parliament

42nd Canadian Parliament
Name	42nd Canadian Parliament
Caption	Centre Block of the Parliament of Canada on Parliament Hill during the 42nd Canadian Parliament
Body	Parliament of Canada
Meeting place	West Block, Parliament Hill, Ottawa
Election	2015 election
Government	Justin Trudeau Liberal government
Term start	8 December 2015
Term end	11 September 2019
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Monarch title	Monarch
Chamber1	House of Commons
Chamber1 leader1 type	Prime Minister
Chamber1 leader1	Justin Trudeau
Chamber1 leader2 type	Speaker
Chamber1 leader2	Geoff Regan
Chamber2	Senate
Chamber2 leader1 type	Speaker of the Senate
Chamber2 leader1	George J. Furey
Previous	41st Canadian Parliament
Next	43rd Canadian Parliament

42nd Canadian Parliament The 42nd Canadian Parliament was convened after the 2015 Canadian federal election and sat from 8 December 2015 to 11 September 2019. It featured a majority Liberal Party of Canada government led by Justin Trudeau, interaction with an opposition led by Rona Ambrose and later Andrew Scheer, extensive legislative activity in the House of Commons of Canada and the Senate of Canada, and major initiatives affecting federal policy across Canada, including reforms touching on indigenous peoples, climate change, immigration, and taxation.

Composition and membership

The House of Commons during the 42nd Parliament comprised 338 Members of Parliament returned from the 2015 Canadian federal election, with the Liberal Party of Canada holding a majority under Justin Trudeau, the Conservative Party of Canada forming the Official Opposition under Rona Ambrose and subsequently Andrew Scheer, the New Democratic Party led by Tom Mulcair and later Jagmeet Singh, and representation from the Bloc Québécois under Gilles Duceppe and later Yves-François Blanchet and from the Green Party of Canada under Elizabeth May. The Senate, chaired by George J. Furey, included appointees from previous administrations including Stephen Harper and Jean Chrétien appointees, with non-partisan changes influenced by the independent advisory selection process initiated under Justin Trudeau. Prominent cabinet ministers and shadow ministers included Chrystia Freeland, Bill Morneau, Jody Wilson-Raybould, Patty Hajdu, Jane Philpott, Dominic LeBlanc, Maryam Monsef, Harjit Sajjan, Marc Garneau, Kirsty Duncan, and opposition figures such as Peter MacKay, Maxime Bernier, Peter Julian, and Glen Motz.

Sessions and legislative timeline

The 42nd Parliament convened for multiple sessions beginning with the Throne Speech on 4 January 2016 delivered by Governor General David Johnston and later Julie Payette during the term. Major sitting periods included spring and fall sessions with prorogations and adjournments tied to budget releases by Finance Canada and Minister Bill Morneau, reactive legislation following rulings from the Supreme Court of Canada such as decisions affecting electoral law and indigenous rights, and scheduling influenced by parliamentary procedure overseen by Speaker Geoff Regan. Legislative milestones aligned with international events such as the COP21 follow‑up and bilateral engagements with United States administration changes involving Barack Obama and Donald Trump, while parliamentary timetable accommodated committee inquiries into matters like the Rafale affair echoes and trade negotiations referenced against the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement negotiations.

Major legislation and government initiatives

The 42nd Parliament enacted significant statutes and initiatives including the Cannabis Act legalizing non‑medical cannabis through extensive committee review, tax measures such as amendments to the Income Tax Act and the introduction of a Canada Child Benefit administered via Employment and Social Development Canada, and environmental legislation and regulations responding to Paris Agreement commitments and carbon pricing frameworks involving provincial interactions with Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia. The government advanced indigenous reconciliation measures referencing calls from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and legislative edits connected to Indian Act consultations, settlement agreements with First Nations and litigation outcomes involving Assembly of First Nations. Immigration and refugee policies saw changes tied to the Syrian refugee response coordinated with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and international law obligations under the United Nations conventions. Trade and economic policy included negotiating mandates related to the CPTPP and responses to tariffs from United States policy shifts under Donald Trump.

Opposition, caucuses, and parliamentary committees

Opposition activity was organized through the Official Opposition led by Rona Ambrose and later Andrew Scheer, the New Democratic Party under Tom Mulcair and Jagmeet Singh, the Bloc Québécois, and the Green caucus under Elizabeth May. Parliamentary committee work, chaired by members from multiple parties, included the Standing Committee on Finance, the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs, the Standing Committee on Health, and the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, which conducted studies into issues such as electoral reform, the administration of the Canada Revenue Agency, and national security oversight tied to agencies like CSIS and RCMP. Caucus reforms and seating arrangements evolved with non‑partisan appointment processes affecting the Senate’s Independent Senators Group and internal Liberal caucus dynamics involving ministers such as Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott.

key debates, controversies, and inquiries

The Parliament saw contentious debates and controversies including the government's handling of ethics matters examined by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and inquiries related to cabinet conduct involving Jody Wilson‑Raybould and Jane Philpott, culminating in high‑profile resignations and public scrutiny. Other controversies involved procurement issues tied to military procurement programs such as the Fisheries and Oceans Canada contracts and debates over the procurement of fighter jets referenced against the Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin proposals, as well as privacy concerns connected to digital surveillance and intelligence sharing agreements with the Five Eyes partners. High‑profile public inquiries and reports from bodies like the Office of the Auditor General of Canada and the Parliamentary Budget Officer influenced debate on fiscal transparency, program delivery, and budgetary estimates.

By-elections and changes in membership

Throughout the 42nd Parliament a number of by‑elections, resignations, retirements, and party changes altered the Commons’ composition: vacancies were filled through by‑elections in ridings such as representatives succeeding MPs who resigned to accept appointments or private‑sector roles, and party status shifted with MPs crossing the floor or becoming independents. Senate appointments by Justin Trudeau and retirements under mandatory age rules changed the upper chamber’s balance, while expulsions and removals for misconduct were handled under parliamentary codes enforced by Speakers Geoff Regan and Senate authorities led by George J. Furey.

Category:Canadian parliaments