Intense behind-the-scenes negotiations are to continue today among federal political parties over how Parliament should function as the COVID-19 crisis drags on.
The House of Commons, which has been largely adjourned since mid-March, is to resume normal operations on Monday.
The Liberals are proposing to continue with the COVID-committee but with a twist. They want the meetings to be a hybrid of in-person and virtual, with a small number of MPs in the Commons and others simultaneously participating via two large video screens that would be set up on either side of the Speaker's chair.
That would allow MPs to resume moving motions, ask questions on whatever topic they like and engage in what Scheer called "proper debate" on government legislation, private members' bills and opposition motions.As long as the Commons resumes its normal schedule, Scheer said his party is open to the idea of hybrid sittings.
Under the agreement reached last month, every Wednesday after the committee wraps up, the government may, if necessary, ask the small number of MPs in the chamber to reconvene in a sitting of the House of Commons to consider emergency pandemic-related legislation.
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