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Is Stephen Harper showing “cowardly behaviour” by not showing up to Question Period?

It's back to business in Ottawa.

One day after the government's Speech from the Throne, MPs have returned to the Hill for routine proceedings, their other parliamentary duties and, of course, the always raucous Question Period.

[ Related: Harper government ‘resets’ with throne speech promising balanced-budget law, consumer-first measures ]

Opposition parties, in particular, are salivating at the opportunity to query the Conservatives about the ongoing Senate expense scandal that dogged the Harper government through much of the extended summer recess.

But to their chagrin, the prime minister won't be there.

Conveniently — and apparently coincidentally — Harper will be flying to Belgium today to finalize details of the Canada - EU free trade agreement touted in Wednesday's throne speech.

That led NDP leader to decry "he can run but can't hide." According to the Huffington Post, Tom Mulcair said that Harper was showing "cowardly behaviour."

Liberal leader Justin Trudeau told CBC News that Canadians have "gotten used to a prime minister that prefers not to be held accountable."

Certainly, for Harper, the optics are bad: after proroguing Parliament for a full month, he's now unavailable for the first Question Period since June.

[ Related: Will the throne speech help Stephen Harper change the channel on the Senate expense scandal? ]

Regardless of Harper's attendance, the New Democrats intend to raise a point of privilege, on Thursday, against him.

According to the Canadian Press, NDP ethics critic Charlie Angus asked the Speaker to decree that the prime minister misled the House last spring when he said no one in his office knew that Nigel Wright, his former chief of staff, gifted Senator Mike Duffy $90,000. Court documents filed by the RCMP over the summer suggest that at least three PMO staffers knew of Wright's decision to cut the cheque.

But, with Harper not there, maybe the opposition attack loses its bite?

So we ask you: Do you think Prime Minister Harper should be in Question Period to answer questions about the ongoing Senate scandal?

Have your say in the comments area below.