Ottawa mayor says prorogation of parliament gives city time to work with MPs on transit funding request

Ottawa mayor Mark Sutcliffe speaks to CTV News Ottawa. Jan. 6, 2025.

Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe says he remains optimistic that the City of Ottawa will eventually get the transit funding it has requested from the federal government, despite Monday's announcement by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that Parliament has been prorogued and that he intends to step aside as Liberal leader and prime minister.

Sutcliffe has been seeking tens of millions of dollars from the federal and provincial governments to cover massive funding gaps in the city's transit budget. The 2025 budget includes a $36 million placeholder that is meant to be filled by senior levels of government. Ontario Premier Doug Ford has indicated that the province would provide funding if the federal government did, but so far, no federal funding has been announced.

On Monday, Trudeau addressed the nation to say that Parliament is prorogued until March 24, giving the Liberal Party time to find his replacement as leader and ultimately as prime minister.

Speaking to CTV News Ottawa, Sutcliffe said the pause on parliamentary business provides some clarity to the immediate future.

"I think if you go back to before Christmas, there was a lot of uncertainty about the prime minister's personal future, there was a lot of uncertainty about when there might be an election. Now we know what the prime minister's decision is and we know there won't be an election before the end of March," said Sutcliffe. "I hope that gives us time to work with local MPs and with cabinet ministers to deliver on Ottawa's priorities and reach a conclusion to the productive conversations that we've been having over the last few months."

Prorogation halts the work of Parliament while allowing the government to remain in power. It is different from dissolution, which triggers an election. During a prorogation, MPs do not sit in the House of Commons, their committee work is suspended, and outstanding bills that have yet to become law are terminated.

"All unfinished business is dropped from or 'dies' on the Order Paper and all committees lose their power to transact business, providing a fresh start for the next session. No committee can sit during a prorogation," the House of Commons website says.

Philippe Lagassé, Associate Professor and Barton Chair at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University told CTV News Ottawa in an email that new money would need to be approved by Parliament.

Sutcliffe said he has had productive conversations with Liberal MPs, including Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Jenna Sudds, and is hopeful they'll lead to an eventual announcement of funding for the city.

"I never count on anything until it happens and so I don't consider the gap in out budget to have been addressed until we get help from the other two levels of government but as I've said all along, I'm an optimist and the conversations have been productive so I still believe that the federal and provincial governments will do the right thing to help the people of Ottawa," he said.

In his year-end interview with CTV News Ottawa, Sutcliffe said if transit funding isn't realized by the middle of February, the city might have to make some "tough decisions", but he struck a more positive tone Monday.

"I remain confident and optimistic. At the same time, I don't count on anything until it's complete and so I'm going to continue working hard to fight for Ottawa fair share until we get it," he said.

Sutcliffe told CTV News Ottawa he's had some conversations with Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre but maintained that his immediate focus is to negotiate with the current government.

"We'll be ready to work with whoever is the next prime minister of Canada after the leadership race of the Liberal Party is concluded and after the next election. But right now, I'm focused on the immediate and short-term objective of getting Ottawa its fair share through the negotiations I've been having with the current federal government."

The next session of Parliament will begin with a throne speech outlining the government's intentions and priorities. The Speech from the Throne is automatically considered a confidence vote, and opposition parties have previously signalled their intention to vote against the government on the next confidence motion, meaning the next parliamentary session could end as soon as it begins, triggering a federal election.