Arabnews24.ca:Monday 18 October 2021 04:51 PM: Peter Julian, the NDP's leader in the House of Commons, has written to the government complaining about its decision to delay the return of Parliament.
Julian said delaying MPs' return to the House until Nov. 22 will mean that emergency COVID-19 benefits will expire before Parliament can renew them.
The Canada Recovery Benefit and other benefits set up by the government to help Canadians through the pandemic are due to expire on Saturday.
The cabinet can extend them until Nov. 20 without a new law, but a new bill would have to be passed through Parliament to extend them beyond that date.
The benefits could be applied retroactively — but Parliament would have to pass a law first.
Julian said in his letter to Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and government House leader Pablo Rodriguez that delaying the return of MPs for more than two months after the election is "indefensible."