MPs return to the House of Commons today for the first time in about 5 months, and they need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to take their seats.

It’s a new parliament that looks almost identical to the old one, after the September 20th federal election saw only a few seats change ownership and gave Justin Trudeau’s Liberals their second consecutive minority government.

And many issues facing this new parliament are the same – the ongoing battle against COVID-19, rebuilding the battered economy, climate change, and Indigenous reconciliation.

There will likely be the same partisan divide as well, with the opposition Conservatives putting up stiff opposition to most government initiatives, forcing the Liberals to rely primarily on the New Democrats and occasionally the Bloc Quebecois to pass legislation and survive confidence votes.

The session opens Monday with the election of a speaker, likely a re-election for Liberal MP Anthony Rota, followed by a speech from the throne Tuesday delivered by Governor General Mary Simon in the Senate.