The Stephen Harper government plans to table legislation on Senate reform soon after Parliament returns to businesses Thursday, including asking the provinces to elect senators.
The move, however, may be a non-starter, as some provinces have already indicated they have no interest in electing senators.
"Ontario, for example, says this archaic institution should be abolished, so it's not going to go anywhere," CTV's Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife reported Wednesday night.
British Columbia and Nova Scotia are also opposed to Senate reform in favour of closing the upper chamber for good.
Fife also reported that the Tories are backtracking on an earlier promise to set eight-year term limits for senators. "They are now talking about 10 or 12 years," Fife said.
Before the House of Commons reopens for business, the prime minister urged his Conservative caucus to stay "humble" as they begin their first parliamentary session as a majority government.
After winning 166 seats in the May 2 election, the Tories have formed the country's first majority government since 2004.
But despite their numerical advantage in the House of Commons, Harper said Wednesday that Conservative MPs must not lose sight of the debt they owe to the Canadians who elected them into office.
"We must keep working to earn the trust of our fellow citizens," Harper told his caucus on Wednesday morning.
"We must continue practising the lessons of the last five years, holding to our principles but also listening, caring and adapting."
A beaming Harper introduced the new members of his caucus in alphabetical order, shaking hands with them one by one, as veteran Conservative members greeted them with cheers and applause.
Harper has picked several cabinet ministers from the ranks of his rookie Conservative MPs, including Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver, Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Peter Penashue and Bal Gosal, the Minister of State for Sport.
The prime minister said the Conservatives had made good on their promise to "hit the ground running," by quickly calling the start of a new parliamentary session.
Other changes to the newly elected Parliament include the New Democrats becoming the Official Opposition for the first time ever.
The Liberals, who have traditionally sat in government or as the government-in-waiting, are now the third-ranked party in the House of Commons.
As the first session of the new Parliament gets underway, Harper said the economy remains a key focus for the government.
Harper said the speech from the throne will take place Friday and Finance Minister Jim Flaherty will hand down the budget on Monday.
A new Speaker will be elected before the week is out, likely from inside the Conservative ranks.
Don Martin, the host of CTV's Power Play, said Regina-Qu'Appelle MP Andrew Scheer and Calgary Centre MP Lee Richardson are among the possible candidates for Speaker.
Scheer served as deputy speaker under the departed Peter Milliken, the Liberal MP who served as speaker in the four previous parliaments.
The House of Commons is expected to sit for only two to three weeks before taking a break.
Liberals announce critics
Interim Liberal Leader Bob Rae announced his caucus critics on Wednesday.
He said in the year ahead Liberal MPs will speak to Canadians about the issues that affect their lives, such as healthcare, the economy and jobs, and work on their behalf to come up with solutions.
Rae admitted that the road ahead will have many challenges for the greatly diminished caucus, but said the party will persevere.
"We've got a very talented team, we have to focus on the issues that matter to Canadians, we want to bring them up not only in the House of Commons but across the country," he told reporters.
Rae, who was elected last week to the role that rules him out as a candidate in the next general leadership race, announced Wednesday that Ralph Goodale will remain in his role as deputy leader.
Marc Garneau, the only other Liberal who publicly announced a willingness to serve as interim leader, takes on the role of house leader.
In other key appointments for the third-place Liberals, Justin Trudeau becomes critic for post secondary education, youth and amateur sport, Scott Brison takes on the finance critic's portfolio and Irwin Cotler was named as justice critic.
With files from The Canadian Press
