Federal Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff says 'a smart party listens to Canadians.' (CBC)

Federal Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff says his listening tour across Canada this month is worthwhile, even as it takes him away from a reopened House of Commons.

Ignatieff, who had repeatedly attacked Prime Minister Stephen Harper for proroguing Parliament in January, is now holding meetings in cities across Canada, even though Parliament is now in session.

On Monday, he held meetings in the St. John's area on issues including post-secondary education.

"Don't you worry. We're minding the fort back in Ottawa," Ignatieff told reporters Monday.

"We're working actively in the House, and I'll be back later."

Ignatieff, who is scheduled to complete the meetings in Montreal by the end of the month, said the Conservative government's budget was lacklustre, and that its parliamentary agenda is stagnant.

"If that's the Conservative offer, we've got to make the Canadian people a counter-offer. How do you do that? You go around the country, listen to Canadians, get ideas in," Ignatieff said.

"There's some good stuff coming out of the audience today.… All of that is the way in which a smart party listens to Canadians, puts the program together and gives them a clear alternative."