MP says Parliament will run differently with new Liberal majority
Local MP Jamie Schmale says Parliament will work differently with the Liberals achieving a majority government – including when it comes to committee work.
Prime Minister Mark Carney secured a slim majority government mandate through a combination of opposition defections and victories in three by-elections.
Schmale said the new Liberal majority will change how the House of Commons functions, how parliamentary committees operate and how the Conservative opposition will go about keeping the government accountable and transparent.
“The Liberals will no longer need the help of at least one opposition party to pass legislation in the House or committees,” Schmale said. “This gives them greater control over the legislative agenda, including the timing of debates and votes. In committees, where much of the detailed work of Parliament happens, government members will now hold the majority of seats, allowing them to easily steer studies, call or limit witnesses and ultimately shape reports without relying on opposition support.”
Schmale added that all committees are chaired by government members except for the four chaired by opposition members as per Standing Orders, the rules of how Parliament operates. The MP said while the distribution of chair positions is guided by the rules of parliament, the Liberal majority will give them great influence over how committees function overall.
“We do lose some power, but maintain our ability to influence government decisions,” Schmale said. “We can no longer oppose problematic Liberal legislation by working with the other opposition parties: however, we can still use tools such as debate, committee scrutiny, public advocacy and Question Period to hold the government accountable. Strong opposition can still shape public opinion and pressure the government to adjust its policies.”
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has called the Liberal majority a “weak majority.”
“The Liberals, for now, have a two-seat majority which means the government whip will have to be sure all their members are able to vote especially on a confidence measure such as the budget,” Schmale said. “Even a small number of absences or dissenting votes could put the government at risk of having their legislative agenda stalled or worst case, a defeat on a confidence motion that triggers an automatic election.”
Speaking of elections, Schmale said he was not surprised when Carney announced that there would be no federal election until 2029, now that the Liberals have their majority.
“A recent poll showed that 71 percent of Canadians did not want an election this spring,” Schmale said. “Once the majority parliament was secured, the usual four-year election date (2025-2029) kicked in. Majority governments typically aim to serve the full mandate to implement their agenda, barring unforeseen political developments, but there is no way to predict if the prime minister might call an election before the fixed election date.”
When asked if he expected any more floor crossings of Conservative members in the future, Schmale instead focused on the outsized influence the five opposition members who have already joined the Liberals have had on the makeup of parliament stating, “this is the first time in Canadian history that floor crossings have turned a minority into a majority.”
MP Jamie Schmale’s comments regarding the new Liberal majority read less like a report to constituents and more like a list of excuses.
Mr. Schmale notes with frustration that floor-crossings have turned a minority into a majority for the first time in history. Instead of complaining about the rules, perhaps he should ask why his own colleagues found the Liberal platform more compelling than staying in the Conservative caucus. If our MP is losing his influence, it is time to stop blaming the system and start questioning why his party’s message is failing to keep its own members—and our riding—on the winning side of the House.
Furthermore, Schmale admits the Conservatives have lost the power to stop legislation, yet claims they will still use tools like Question Period for accountability. For the average constituent, Question Period is little more than political theatre with no tangible output. If our MP acknowledges he can no longer influence the legislative agenda, what exactly is he doing to earn his $217,700 salary other than being a professional spectator to a Liberal majority?
While Mr. Schmale is busy explaining the math of Ottawa, the people of Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes riding are still waiting for results on housing, healthcare, and infrastructure. Whether the Liberals have a minority or a majority shouldn’t change an MP’s primary job: advocating for local projects and bringing our tax dollars back home. We don’t need a lecture on parliamentary procedure; we need a representative who finds ways to deliver regardless of who sits in the Speaker’s chair.
Housing Affordability: Canada is experiencing an acute housing supply shortage, with estimates indicating that 3.5 million to nearly 5 million additional homes are needed by 2030 or 2035 to restore affordability. Rising costs have made homeownership feel out of reach for many, with renting growing twice as fast as homeownership.
Healthcare System Strain: The public healthcare system is facing systemic pressures including long wait times, emergency room overcrowding, and a shortage of doctors and nurses. An aging population is placing further demand on services, resulting in gaps in long-term care and primary care access. Ottawa sends billions to Ontario for healthcare (the Canada Health Transfer). Schmale’s job is to argue that Ontario isn’t getting enough, or that the money is being mismanaged.
Infrastructure Deficit: Municipalities, which own over 60% of Canada’s public infrastructure, are managing a $270 billion infrastructure deficit, according to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Core infrastructure—roads, bridges, water, and transit—needs significant investment to support new housing construction. Big local projects (like bridge replacements or high-speed internet expansion) are often funded by “tri-party” agreements where the Federal government pays one-third.
Urban vs. Regional: While the crisis is intense in major cities like Toronto and Vancouver, it is spreading to smaller, rural, and northern communities like Kawartha Lakes.
While MP Jamie Schmale spends his time in Ottawa debating the nuances of the Indian Act or Northern food subsidies, he is not at the table in Queen’s Park or City Hall where the decisions about our property taxes, our local hospital wait times, and our pothole-ridden roads are actually made. Being a ‘Vice-Chair’ of a federal committee is a prestigious title in Ottawa, but it doesn’t put a single shovel in the ground in Lindsay.
Our neighbors in Peterborough elected a representative who sits at the government table and helps decide where the money goes. Meanwhile, our riding is represented by someone who admits he’s lost his influence and spends his time in committees that have nothing to do with the housing crisis in Lindsay, the potholes in Bobcaygeon or Agriculture and Agri-Food.
Peterborough MP Emma Harrison is an active member of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food. As a farmer herself, she has used this role to influence the Reference Prices in Beef and Pork Supply Chains study. Because she is a government member, her recommendations are far more likely to end up in the final report that the Minister actually reads and implements.
While our neighbor, MP Emma Harrison, sits on the Agriculture and Agri-Food Committee—a sector that employs triple the provincial average in the Kawartha Lakes region—Mr. Schmale serves as Vice-Chair of Indigenous and Northern Affairs. While that may be a prestigious title in Ottawa, it deals largely with Arctic sovereignty and Northern food subsidies. One has to wonder why our MP isn’t fighting for a seat on a committee that actually governs the 300,000 acres of farmland and the thousands of agri-business jobs that keep the Kawarthas running.
In the last general election, MP Schmale, with over a decade of tenure, received 43,000 votes. The Liberal candidate, Nel Thomas, was nominated only weeks before the election, had never previously run for office, and still received 30,000 votes.
If the job of an MP is to deliver for the riding, Peterborough is currently getting a better return on their investment than Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes constituents are.