Harper will shut down Parliament yet again, and appoint 5 new Senators in January:

Prime Minister Stephen Harper will ask the governor general to prorogue Parliament today until early March, CTV News has learned.

Parliament is currently on Christmas break and MPs are scheduled to return to the House on January 25.

But speculation has been rampant in recent weeks that Harper would ask to shut down Parliament until at least after the Winter Olympics in Vancouver are complete.

Such a move would halt the work of Parliamentary committees, including one that is investigating Afghan detainee abuse, an issue that has been plaguing the Conservatives for months.

If the governor general grants Harper’s request, Parliament would return on March 3, according to CTV’s chief political correspondent, Craig Oliver.