After taking a break for the summer months and preparing for Canada’s 44th federal election, Parliament resumed its work on November 22.

Members of Parliament (MPs) in Canada can participate in the creation of new laws and represent their constituents in the House of Commons once Parliament is open. Before MPs return to their regular duties, two things usually happen: a new Speaker is elected, and the throne address is delivered.

The throne address is delivered at the start of each new session of Parliament, not simply after a general election. The government draughts it, and the prime minister signs it. It explains how the government views issues that impact Canadians.

According to the prime minister’s office, the government’s plans to “end the fight against COVID-19 and build a better future for everyone” will be discussed in the 44th Parliament’s throne speech. The speech will be delivered by the governor-general, Mary Simon, according to tradition. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau selected Simon to the role this summer.

The administration will almost certainly address immigration, among other things. Immigration was welcomed as “an engine of Canada’s economic prosperity” in last year’s throne speech. The government should make it simpler for persons who “made sacrifices in favor of Canada” to formally become Canadian, according to the section on immigration.

Despite the fact that the immigration backlog continued to rise in the months after, Canada introduced a one-time immigration pathway for vital workers and international student graduates.

The throne address is intended to give a general overview of the government’s goals. Specific policy changes are unlikely to be discussed. When the government releases the mandate letters to Cabinet ministers, further nuance will be provided.

The House of Commons must first elect a Speaker before Parliament may formally convene. The Speaker’s responsibility is to ensure that parliamentary rules are followed and that order is maintained throughout discussions. Anthony Rota, the Liberal Party’s Member of Parliament for Nipissing-Timiskaming, Ontario, was the former Speaker of the House.

The ceremonial motions of preparation for the throne speech traditionally begin the first day of a new Parliament. Then, on behalf of the Senate, the Usher of the Black Rod arrives at the House of Commons. The MPs are invited to the Senate Chamber by the Usher. When they arrive, the Senate Speaker informs the MPs that they must elect a Speaker of the House of Commons before the Governor-General may deliver the royal speech.

MPs return to the House of Commons and vote in a secret ballot to elect a Speaker. The newly-elected Speaker may now act hesitant, a throwback to the days when British speakers faced execution if they reported news that upset the monarch.

The MPs return to the Senate after the Speaker is chosen, and the Governor-General delivers the throne speech, which could happen the next day.