The Liberal government is preparing a packed parliamentary session with a heavy slate of new bills, even as escalating trade threats from U.S. President Donald Trump cast a shadow over the reopening of Parliament.Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon said cabinet will introduce “lots of legislation” as the 2026 sitting gets underway, dismissing any suggestion the government is eyeing a snap election. Speaking to reporters yesterday, MacKinnon said Liberals intend to press ahead with what they describe as their mandate from voters.“We believe we have a strong mandate from the Canadian people,” he said. “We’re going to continue pursuing that mandate. We’ll have lots of legislation, a lot of initiatives, a lot of things to propose to Canadians in this upcoming session.”Pressed on whether the government wants to convert its position into a majority, MacKinnon sidestepped the question, saying all proposed measures would reflect the mandate already given. Blacklock's Reporter said when asked to identify priorities, he declined to single any out. .“They are all priorities,” he said. “Bills are like my children. It’s very hard to pick between them.”Parliament’s return comes amid renewed trade tensions with Washington after cabinet moved to open Canada’s market to Chinese battery electric vehicles. On January 16, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the repeal of 100% tariffs on Chinese electric autos, replacing them with a sales quota of 49,000 vehicles annually — roughly half of Canada’s battery electric vehicle market.Trump blasted the move in a social media post Sunday, calling it a catastrophe for Canada. “China is successfully and completely taking over the once great country of Canada,” he wrote. “So sad to see it happen.”“Canada is systematically destroying itself,” Trump added. “The China deal is a disaster for them. It will go down as one of the worst deals of any kind in history. All their businesses are moving to the U.S.A.”Trump again warned he would impose blanket 100% tariffs on Canadian exports if Ottawa deepens trade ties with Beijing. “If Governor Carney thinks he is going to make Canada a ‘drop off port’ for China to send goods and products into the United States, he is sorely mistaken,” Trump wrote. “China will eat Canada alive.”“If Canada wants to make a deal with China, it will immediately be hit with a 100 percent tariff against all Canadian goods and products coming into the U.S.A.,” he said..Liberal MP Karina Gould, chair of the Commons finance committee, said the threats should not be dismissed. “That is serious,” she told reporters. “It’s really serious.”Gould said the Canadian economy’s reliance on U.S. trade leaves manufacturers vulnerable. “Most companies that are manufacturers, like, above 70% of their merchandise goes to the United States,” she said, noting her Burlington riding sits less than an hour from the border.Asked whether Carney had angered the U.S. president, Gould said only, “We’ll see how that goes,” adding she has confidence in the prime minister.
