Liberals Push Forward With COVID-19 Bill Despite Likely Impasse

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rises during a meeting of the Special Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on June 9, 2020. Justin Tang/The Canadian Press

OTTAWA—The Liberals are pushing forward with a contentious piece of emergency legislation that would extend COVID-19 aid programs even though Opposition parties appear unlikely to allow it to move forward quickly.

Government House leader Pablo Rodriguez says the bill is the quickest and most efficient way to get help to some of the most vulnerable Canadians affected by the pandemic, and he hopes the other parties will give unanimous consent to allow the bill to be debated today.