As flagged by iPolitics’ own Marco Vigliotti last night, Prime Minister Mark Carney is poised to kick off the new sitting by unveiling what his office is billing as “new measures to make life more affordable for Canadians” — including, as iPolitics reports, “expansions to the GST credit that would help some 12 million Canadians,” as per caucus and government sources. (9:30 a.m.)

In what the Toronto Star frames as a bid to “reset his domestic agenda,” Carney is expected to reveal plans for an across-the-board boost to the quarterly payments, which “will increase in July by 25 per cent over the next five years, providing approximately an additional $130 for a low-income single person and $270 for a couple with two kids for the 2026-2027 benefit year,” the paper notes.

“The government will also provide a one-time special payment in June, equal to a 50 per cent increase in the value of the GST credit, meaning a family with two kids could receive more than $800 in combined relief.”

As per his itinerary, Carney will make the announcement at an undisclosed location somewhere in the National Capital Region this morning before heading to Toronto for a midday tête-à-tête with Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who has openly — and repeatedly — expressed his opposition to the newly-struck deal with China that would see Canada roll back tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles in exchange for similar reductions to the levies on Canadian canola and other commodities.

Speaking with reporters last week, Ford encouraged Canadians to “boycott” the limited number of Chinese e-vehicles that will be allowed market access at the new rate.

“Support companies that are building vehicles here, it’s as simple as that,” he suggested.

“This is a Team Canada approach. We’ve got to stick together.”

After wrapping up their closed-door chat, Ford and Carney will drop by a “local business.”

Back in the capital, opposition members will have to wait at least one more day to cross-examine Carney directly, although they’ll get the opportunity to hold members of his front bench team to account this afternoon. (2 p.m.)

Later this morning, Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon will hit the West Block Foyer to outline the minority Liberal government’s plans for the upcoming sitting, which, as noted in What We’re Watching, will likely include securing swift, safe passage for Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne’s 634-page pitch to roll out measures unveiled in his inaugural budget last fall.  (9:30 a.m.)

After clocking in ten days under second-reading review last fall, the bill is now set to begin undergoing a more comprehensive review at three separate committees this afternoon: FINANCE, where MPs have blocked off two hours for a briefing by senior departmental officials;  HUMAN RESOURCES, SKILLS AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, which will go over its House-assigned section of the bill during a one-hour back-and-forth with Housing and Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson, as well as senior officials from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority; and INDUSTRY AND TECHNOLOGY, where MPs will examine the proposed changes to data mobility laws with Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne. (3:30 p.m.)

Also on the radar: Green Party Leader Elizabeth May will hold a mid-morning media availability to promote her party’s priorities for the winter sitting, which, as per the notice, include “defending democracy and transparency, strengthening Canada’s economic sovereignty, improving affordability, and advancing climate infrastructure.” (10 a.m.)

ON AND AROUND THE HILL

B’nai Brith Canada CEO Simon Wolle will provide more details on the organization’s call for the government to establish a Royal Commission on Antisemitism in Canada, as well as appoint a new special envoy for combating antisemitism and Holocaust remembrance, “a position that has remained vacant since this past summer,” as the advisory notes. (12 p.m.)

IN THE CHAMBER

As per the draft agenda for today’s sitting, the first item of business on the government’s legislative to-do list will be what Justice Minister Sean Fraser has dubbed the Protecting Victims Act: A package of criminal justice reforms that includes new laws against coercive conduct, harassment and pornographic ‘deep fakes’, among other provisions, which is set to begin second-reading debate this afternoon — and, with sufficient cross-aisle support, could get the green light to proceed to committee as early as this week.

Before that gets underway, however, Bloc Québécois MP Mario Simard will get one final opportunity to convince a critical mass of his Commons colleagues to support his backbench proposal to require prior parliamentary review for all proposed trade treaties, which will go to a make-or-break second-reading vote on Wednesday.

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