MPs return to a changed House of Commons

Normally when MPs return to Parliament Hill after the summer break there is a sense of excitement akin to the first day of school.

This first day of the fall sitting is different. The House of Commons had a more sombre tone as tributes were paid to Jack Layton. The late NDP leader had hoped to be making his return Monday from cancer treatments, but he grew more ill over the summer and died Aug. 22.

It was an emotional day for the NDP caucus, which includes Olivia Chow, Layton's widow. Interim NDP Leader Nycole Turmel is taking Layton's place until a permanent successor is chosen March 24 at a leadership convention.

Both Turmel and Chow spoke during Monday morning's tributes to Layton. Prime Minister Stephen Harper, interim Liberal Leader Bob Rae, Bloc Québécois MP Louis Plamondon and Green Party Leader Elizabeth May also shared their memories through often moving anecdotes and heartfelt words about what Layton's loss meant to them and to Canadian politics as a whole.

MPs are wearing orange ribbons today in Layton's memory.

At 2:15 p.m., MPs will get down to business as Turmel rises in the Commons to ask her first question as leader of the Official Opposition.

Debate over economy expected

At the NDP's strategy session in Quebec City last week, Turmel said the NDP planned to take on Harper from Day 1 over his "failed economic policies" and that jobs and the economy will be the NDP's prime focus this fall.

There will be calls for more help for small businesses, pension protection and a rollback of corporate tax cuts. "New Democrats will push for real action," said Turmel.

The Liberals also say they want to see more from the Conservatives and accuse the government of not responding well enough to global and domestic economic concerns.

"Cutting and cutting alone will not get you to where you need to be," deputy Liberal leader Ralph Goodale said in an interview.

In the spring budget, the Conservatives pledged to eliminate the deficit by 2014-15 and to do that, they mandated a government-wide strategic review. That means this fall, government departments will be busy identifying where they can cut 5 to 10 per cent of their budgets.

The Conservatives say they will "stay the course" and stick to that plan this fall. But Goodale says that's not good enough and they need to do more to stimulate economic growth.

"The government's one-note monotone on this is just not sufficient," he said, adding that the Liberals want to hear a plan on job creation and economic growth in addition to the government's deficit-reduction plan.

Conservative House leader Peter Van Loan said the government has indicated it can be flexible if it has to be, but otherwise will continue to implement the budget measures.

"Right now our low-tax plan is working and we're following it and we'll continue to do so," he said.

Economy and crime top priorities

The Conservatives will introduce bills this fall to implement budget measures that require legislative changes, Van Loan said. Some were passed in the spring but ones that remain include the phasing-out of subsidies for political parties and tax credits for businesses.

The government will also re-introduce the bills that died on the order paper when the election was called that would implement free trade agreements with Jordan and Panama.

"Opening new markets is an important part of the jobs and economy strategy," said Van Loan.

After the economy, Van Loan says the next priority is tackling crime and on the legislation front, that means the omnibus law-and-order bill that was promised during the election. The Conservatives are bundling previous bills together that didn't pass in the pre-majority government Commons and want the omnibus bill passed within 100 days.

"We will be moving on that very soon and hope to get it through the House of Commons by the end of the calendar year," said Van Loan.

A bill known as the Safe Streets and Communities Act will be introduced in the House on Tuesday, CBC News learned Sunday.

The bill will include measures to "hold criminals more accountable, help improve the safety and security of individuals, and extend greater protection to the most vulnerable members of society and victims of terrorism," a Conservative caucus memo said on Sunday.

The government also wants the bill introduced in June on human smuggling to move quickly through the Commons, Van Loan said.

Seat redistribution plan will be contentious

Another bill the Tories plan to reintroduce and want passed by the end of 2011, is the one to add more seats to the House of Commons. It will be similar to the last one, said Van Loan, but the formula used to redistribute seats among the provinces may be slightly different.

"We'd like that to be law so that the formula is in place and everyone knows what the rules are as we begin redistribution," he said, adding that this summer's census results are being tabulated and used to determine the formula.

The seat distribution plan will be a potentially divisive issue in the Commons because of regional interests, particularly in Quebec.

Other issues the government is poised to raise that could involve controversial regional interests are the long-gun registry and Canadian Wheat Board.

The Conservatives will use their majority to scrap both, actions they've long wanted to take but couldn't because of the opposition parties.

"We will of course carry through on our commitments and introduce bills to eliminate the long-gun registry and to provide the same freedom of choice for Western Canada wheat farmers that farmers like my grandfather had here in Ontario," said Van Loan.

The Liberals and NDP say they will fight the government's attempt to quash the wheat board but on it and other legislative measures, they are up against a majority government that doesn't need their support.

The Bloc Québécois, down to just four MPs, also doesn't wield the same influence it once had in the Commons and all three parties are being led by interim leaders, something a prime minister has never before faced.

Other issues on the agenda this fall include Canada's participation in the mission in Libya, the conclusion of the HST compensation deal with Quebec, and the release of a plan on a new perimeter trade and security agreement with the United States.

This week, British Prime Minister David Cameron will be in Ottawa and will address the House.