The House of Commons spring sitting saw co-operation between the Liberals and Conservatives to pass some key pieces of legislation in the span of a month — a drastic change in tone from where things were left in December.
MPs wrapped up the parliamentary sitting last week with a vote on the Liberals’ major projects legislation. Bill C-5 passed with support from the Conservatives who had also supported a promised income tax cut just a few weeks earlier.
After C-5 was passed, Prime Minister Mark Carney walked over to the Conservative benches and shook hands with a number of their MPs. The bill is now in front of the Senate for consideration.
That co-operative spirit was far from how the House was functioning — or, rather, not functioning — last fall.
Before the winter break, the House had been gridlocked as parties blamed each other for tying Parliament up in a privilege debate since late September.
Almost no legislation was passed, though MPs took breaks from the debate to push through some spending measures and enact a federal sales tax holiday.
Liberals and Conservatives unite, pass major projects bill
It wasn’t clear how the gridlock would end until Parliament was prorogued as Justin Trudeau announced he would be resigning, and an election was called shortly after Carney took office.
On election night — which saw the House largely divided between the Liberals and Conservatives — the parties signalled that they would look to work together.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre signalled on the first day of the spring sitting that his party would take a pragmatic approach.
“The question we always ask is, ‘Is the proposal better than the status quo?’ If it is, then we support it. If it’s not, then we oppose it,” he told reporters.
Poilievre says he’ll support Carney
