OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre faced off in the House of Commons on Monday, marking their first encounter since Carney took office. The session featured some cordial exchanges but also light sparring, as Conservatives sought to portray Carney as “just another Liberal.”

Poilievre, who lost his seat in the Ottawa-area riding of Carleton in April, returned to the House after winning a by-election in the safe Conservative riding of Battle River—Crowfoot on August 18. His return came after fellow Conservative MP Damien Kurek stepped down to allow Poilievre to regain a seat. On the first day of the fall session, Poilievre acknowledged the unusual circumstances of his return.

“My mother taught me never to be late, so please forgive me for my late arrival to the session,” he said, thanking Carney for facilitating a quick by-election. He added, “I wonder if one day he might regret that decision.”

Carney welcomed Poilievre back, noting, “he may notice a few things have changed since he was here last,” including a newfound “spirit of collaboration” that enabled the swift passage of major legislation in the previous session.

Now back in his role, Poilievre plans to hold Carney accountable for his promises and address issues such as crime, immigration, and housing. He criticized the current government, stating, “When I left, there was a Liberal prime minister who was making excuses about breaking promises, running massive deficits. Costs, crime, chaos were all out of control.” He questioned, “When will the prime minister match the grand promises with the real change Canadians need?”

Carney, who humorously referred to Poilievre as a “minister,” responded by highlighting the government’s achievements, including a middle-class tax cut and the removal of federal internal trade barriers.

“In the spirit of non-partisanship, we are simply going to uphold this prime minister to his own promises,” Poilievre quipped.

During the summer, Carney attempted to neutralize some of Poilievre’s criticisms by pausing electric vehicle initiatives and reviewing several climate policies from the previous administration, which drew some frustration from the party’s left wing. He also fulfilled two campaign promises by establishing the Major Projects Office and Build Canada Homes.

However, the upcoming budget poses a significant challenge. The Liberal government has indicated that the deficit will exceed the previously budgeted $42.2 billion for this fiscal year. The C.D. Howe Institute projected a deficit of over $92 billion, which could be close to the final figure. Carney acknowledged on Sunday that the deficit would be “bigger than it was last year,” attributing this to a slower economy impacted by the tariff war with the U.S. and Canada’s investments in defense and affordability measures.

“There’s going to be implications for the deficit, but they’ll build a much stronger Canada going forward,” Carney stated regarding the new spending initiatives.

Crime remains a pressing issue for the Liberals, especially after losing key seats in Ontario during the last election. Justice Minister Sean Fraser announced plans to introduce legislation addressing intimidation and obstruction at places of worship soon, with potential bail reform legislation expected next month.