One of Parliament’s fundamental roles is to review and approve the government’s taxation and spending plans. To fulfill this role, parliamentarians follow the parliamentary financial cycle, which consists of a continuous loop of activities that take place throughout the calendar year. Because the federal government’s fiscal year begins on 1 April and ends on 31 March, activities that take place during a single calendar year may relate to different fiscal years.| HillNotes
A general election is followed by the opening of a new session of the Parliament of Canada, marking the beginning of a new parliamentary cycle. The opening involves a series of parliamentary ceremonies and procedures that precede and follow the Speech from the Throne. The opening of a Parliament typically lasts two days, as it did, for example, with the 42nd Parliament in 2015, although it can take place over the course of a single day, as it did with the opening of the 43rd Parliament in 201...| HillNotes