Exactly a week after Prime Minister Mark Carney kicked off the new sitting by unveiling his government’s plan to roll out the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit — a rebranded GST rebate with a temporary five-year increase to the base rate that, according to the official release, would “provide additional, significant support for more than 12 million Canadians” — MPs are poised to launch the opening round of debate on the proposed new measures as early as tomorrow afternoon. (Monday p.m.)

As per the projected agenda, legislation to authorize the move is set to make its second-reading debut on Monday, and could potentially get the green light to proceed to committee later that same day — if, that is, it secures the necessary cross-aisle support, although the Conservatives have already hinted that they’re not planning to delay the bill’s progress, although as yet, it’s not clear if Conservative MPs will actually vote to support what the Liberals are framing as ‘Carney’s Plan.’

A few hours before the debate is expected to get rolling, the Parliamentary Budget Office will releases its initial assessment of the proposed new benefit, which will presumably give MPs more context in considering whether to back the plan.

For his part, after scoring a resounding victory in his first-ever leadership review in Calgary over the weekend, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his team will get another chance to trigger a full day of debate — and, ultimately, a vote — this week, as both Tuesday and Thursday have been tentatively designated as opposition days, although as yet, it’s not clear if both will be allocated to the Conservatives or whether one of the two will be given to the Bloc Québécois.

Last week, Poilievre served notice of a non-binding motion that, if adopted, would urge the minority Liberal government to “immediately introduce a Food Affordability Plan that removes the Liberals’ hidden taxes on food” — which, as per the motion, includes “the industrial carbon tax on farm equipment, fertilizer, and food processors,” as well as the “fuel standards tax” and the “food packaging tax” — as well “boosts competition in our overly-concentrated grocery sector.”

As the Toronto Star reports, Poilievre and his caucus colleagues are also expected to make the rounds as Conservatives — and Canadians — mark the 20th anniversary of the first go-round in office for the party in its current form, courtesy of Poilievre’s predecessor, Stephen Harper, who “led the then-newly united Conservatives to a decade in power in 2006,” the paper notes.

“On Monday, Harper is expected to be recognized by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society for his contributions and will then sit with one of his political rivals and predecessors, former Liberal leader Jean Chrétien, for a fireside chat about Canadian unity and identity — a conversation that the two former leaders have had on an ongoing basis about how to find common ground,” the Star notes, citing an unnamed organizer.

“On Tuesday, Harper will attend question period in the House of Commons and his long-delayed official portrait by Canadian artist Phil Richards will be unveiled, followed by a Wednesday gala in Ottawa where Harper is to deliver a keynote speech to some 1,200 attendees.”

Outside the chamber, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne’s 634-page pitch to roll out measures outlined in his inaugural budget is still working its way through committee — or, to be scrupulously accurate, through the four separate committees that have been tasked with reviewing their respective House-assigned section of the omnibus bill.

On Monday, FINANCE members will hear from Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon, who will testify ahead of a one-hour session with senior executives of VIA HFR – VIA TGF Inc., the “wholly-owned subsidiary” of VIA Rail that will “develop and implement the High Frequency Rail (HFR) project,” which the department describes as “one of the largest infrastructures in Canada’s history.” (Monday p.m.)

Later this week, the committee will get an update on how the proposed changes could affect veterans’ services during a back-and-forth with Veterans Affairs Minister Jill McKnight before a final round with Champagne himself, who will field questions alongside his deputy minister, Nick Leswick. (Thursday a.m.)

Also going through the fine print of the bill: 

• HUMAN RESOURCES, SKILLS AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT members have scheduled a one-hour briefing session with Build Canada Homes CEO Ana Bailão (Monday p.m.)
• FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT will examine the proposed changes to the export and import permit system with Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand (Tuesday p.m.)
• GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND ESTIMATES members will hold a panel discussion with senior Treasury Board Secretariat officials, with Public Service Alliance of Canada president Sharon DeSousa also expected to be at the table. (Tuesday p.m.)

The legislation is also on the pre-study docket at several Senate committees, including NATIONAL FINANCE, TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS and INDIGENOUS PEOPLES.

Meanwhile, as flagged by iPolitics last week, JUSTICE AND HUMAN RIGHTS members are on track to wrap up a lightning-round review of Justice Minister Sean Fraser’s proposal to overhaul federal bail and sentencing laws later this week. As of press time, the committee has blocked off two hours for back-to-back presentations from the Association of Manitoba Municipalities, Canadian Urban Transit Association and the National Police Association, among others. (Monday a.m.)

As per the order adopted last week, the committee is on deadline to finish clause-by-clause consideration by the end of the third and final meeting set aside for the bill, which will likely be slated for Wednesday, although as yet, no notice has been issued.

Elsewhere on the committee circuit:

• PROCEDURE AND HOUSE AFFAIRS members circle back to their ongoing investigation into foreign election interference, starting with a high-level briefing session with senior civil servants on the Critical Election Incident Public Protocol Panel, including the prime minister’s national security and intelligence advisor, Nathalie Drouin (Tuesday a.m.), with Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree slated to testify later this week alongside senior officials with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and the RCMP, as well as Chief Electoral Officer  Stéphane Perrault. (Thursday a.m.) 
• SCIENCE AND RESEARCH members will get the chance to question two key cabinet leads about their respective mandates during separate one-hour sessions alongside senior departmental officials: Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation Minister Evan Solomon  (Monday p.m.) and Industry Minister Mélanie Joly (Thursday a.m.).
• ACCESS TO INFORMATION, PRIVACY AND ETHICS members continue to examine the “challenges posed by AI,” including, but not limited to, “regulation,” with Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne, as well as representatives of the Future of Life Institute and Université de Montréal assistant professor David Krueger. (Monday p.m.)
• Over at INTERNATIONAL TRADE, MPs explore the implications of expanding the Trans-Pacific Partnership to include the United Kingdom with representatives of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, Canadian Meat Council, Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners, Canadian Cattle Association and British Canadian Chamber of Trade and Commerce. (Tuesday a.m.)
• Human rights activists Nazanin Boniadi, Nazanin Afshin-Jam Mackay and Atena Daemi, along with representatives of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights and Macdonald-Laurier Institute senior fellow Kaveh Shahrooz, share their respective and collective perspectives on the human rights situation in Iran, with a pre-meeting press conference on deck earlier that day. (Monday p.m.)
• CANADIAN HERITAGE members take a closer look at the effect that “influencer and social media content” can have on children with Amanda Todd Legacy Society founder Carol Todd, Capsana CEO Guy Desrosiers, Children First Canada, Luna Child and Youth Advocacy Centre and the Shalem Mental Health Network, as well as UQAM Canada Research Chair in gaming, technologies and society Maude Bonenfant. (Tuesday a.m.)
• INDIGENOUS AND NORTHERN AFFAIRS members kick off a self-initiated study of the “issues” facing “federally recognized Indigenous communities” without a “land base, reserve or modern treaty” with a briefing from senior departmental officials, as well as testimony from First Nations and Indigenous chiefs and leaders. (Tuesday a.m.)
• NATURAL RESOURCES members get an update on Canadian energy exports, courtesy of Canadians for Affordable Energy’s Dan McTeague, Macdonald-Laurier Institute director Heather Exner-Pirot and other expert witnesses. (Tuesday a.m.)
• ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT members scrutinize the ongoing efforts aimed at “protecting Canadian residents from extreme winter events” with senior representatives of the Canadian Real Estate Association, Investors for Paris Compliance and Ouranos, as well as Grand Forks, B.C. chief administrative officer Duncan Refearn and Princeton, B.C. Mayor Spencer Coyne. (Tuesday p.m.)

Also in and around the precinct: A coalition of Quebec business and labour groups, including Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec, Conseil du patronat du Québec and representatives of the manufacturing, industrial and transport sectors team up to urge the government to add a “grandfather clause” in applying new restrictions to the Temporary Foreign Workers program, which, as per the advisory, could “compromise the competitiveness” of small and medium-sized businesses. (Monday a.m.)

British Columbia’s Emergency Management Minister Kelly Greene joins Abbotsford, B.C. Mayor Ross Siemens and Sumas First Nation Chief Dalton Silver to highlight “critical flood-mitigation” in the Fraser Valley region. (Wednesday a.m.)

Two Team Carney front benchers are set to hit the party hustings later this week: Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson, who will mingle with Montreal-area Liberals at the Mount Royal Club, with all proceeds from the $1000 entry fee earmarked for the Honoré-Mercier Federal Riding Association and Defence Minister David McGuinty, who will headline a $1000-per-ticket reception to fill the coffers of the Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands-Rideau Lakes Federal Liberal Association at a “private residence” in Mallorytown, Ont. (Thursday p.m.)

Rounding out the roster, Governor General Mary Simon embarks on a week-long tour that, as per the advisory provided by Rideau Hall, will begin with a two-day visit to Norway to make the rounds at the Arctic Frontiers Conference (Monday through Wednesday), after which it will be wheels up for Copehagen for an audience with King Frederik X and a “courtesy call” with Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen before travelling to Greenland for the official opening of a new Canadian consulate in Nuuk. (Wednesday through Saturday)