Waterloo region MPs to focus full time on ridings while Parliament is prorogued

Waterloo region MPs say they will be focusing full time on their ridings over the next several weeks in the wake of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's announcement that Parliament will be prorogued until March 24.

Tim Louis, Liberal MP for Kitchener-Conestoga, said all the members of Parliament go back to their ridings "where they end up doing more things locally, having more meetings locally, talking to stakeholders and constituents." 

Louis spoke with Craig Norris, host of CBC K-W's The Morning Edition, as he was about to depart Ottawa, where the Liberal national caucus met Wednesday to discuss what's next for the party in the wake of Trudeau's announcement.

"I'll be heading home from Ottawa in a few minutes and then I shall be home in my office in Kitchener-Conestoga, in the community," Louis said. 

"Our casework continues, the services that we help people with, the stakeholder meetings I'll be having — actually my schedule is going to get busier locally than it would normally because the committee work and that legislative work have been paused."

LISTEN | MP Tim Louis speaks with The Morning Edition host Craig Norris: 

Prorogation effectively allows the prime minister to hit pause on Parliament. The government remains in power, but all parliamentary activity — from existing bills and committee work to studies and investigations — comes to a halt.

The legislative agenda will be reset once the House of Commons reconvenes in March. 

Timing of prorogation 'pretty terrible': Green MP

Mike Morrice, Green Party MP for Kitchener Centre, says the timing of Trudeau's announcement was unfortunate.

"The timing of a prorogation is pretty terrible. Our community and Canadians need stability as we look to head off threats of tariffs from the United States, a significant housing crisis, the climate crisis, the list goes on. So, it's unfortunate that this is the timing of prorogation." Morrice said.

"Secondly, if the prime minister's primary concern of truly what was in the best interest of Canadians, he really could have resigned months ago."

Morrice said he's "pretty disappointed" that he won't have the opportunity to go back to Parliament at the end of the month — which was the original plan — to continue to fight to improve and to move forward on important legislation that would have improved rights to drinking water in First Nations communities and also improved electoral rights. 

Morrice said with a possible federal election on the horizon, he will be focused on "hearing from folks in our community" to be ready to bring what he hears from the community when Parliament resumes in Ottawa toward the end of March."

"To me it's the ideal time to be hearing from people, and so my original plan for the month was to be knocking on doors, to continue to be at community events, to be accountable to folks in our community, to be hearing from people in our community," he said.

Prorogation provides opportunity for reset: Bradford

Meanwhile, Liberal MP Valerie Bradford says she welcomes the opportunity that prorogation provides, "to allow a reset of Parliament that had been prevented from introducing new legislation since September due to the ongoing debate on a motion of privilege since September 24."

Bradford represents the riding of Kitchener South-Hespeler.

"I am looking forward to spending more time in the constituency, meeting with the people I represent, and listening to their concerns and suggestions," Bradford wrote in an email to CBC News.

On Monday Trudeau announced that he plans to step down once the Liberal Party has chosen a successor. 

Trudeau, who became Liberal leader in 2013 and prime minister in the fall of 2015, announced his long-awaited decision outside his official residence, Rideau Cottage, following weeks of speculation and weakened support from his caucus. 

Responding to the announcement, Cambridge MP Bryan May thanked the prime minister for "his steadfast service to Canadians."

In a letter to constituents, May said he has "deeply valued" and relied on Trudeau's leadership, guidance, and friendship over the past nine years.

"Thank you, prime minister, for your leadership, your many contributions to Canada, and the personal sacrifices you have made in service to Canadians," May wrote in the letter.

Waterloo MP Bardish Chagger did not immediately respond to a request for comment.