House of commons.

• Author: Agha, Samy
• Position: Legislative Reports

Parliament returned from the summer adjournment on September 14, 2009. It was immediately seized by election speculation as, on September 1, the Leader of the Official Opposition Michael Ignatieff had declared that the Liberal Party would no longer support the government and would attempt to bring it down at the earliest opportunity.

The first test of confidence for the government came in the form of a ways and means motion to implement certain provisions of the budget. The motion related to the Home Renovation Tax Credit and the First-time Home Buyers' Tax Credit which were noted in the budget speech. The motion was adopted on September 18, 2009 on a recorded division of 224 to 74, with the Liberals voting against.

On September 28, 2009, the government tabled "Canada's Economic Action Plan--A Third Report to Canadians--September 2009" and, pursuant to the special order made on June 19, 2009, the first opposition day of the supply period was held three sitting days later on October 1. The motion of the Official Opposition--"That this House has lost confidence in the government"--was defeated on a recorded division of 117 to 144, with the Liberals and the Bloc Quebecois voting in favour. The government had passed a second confidence test in as many sitting weeks.

The Speaker

On October 12, 2009, Peter Milliken became the longest serving Speaker of the House of Commons. He was first elected as Speaker on January 29, 2001. After Question Period on October 21, 2009, a representative of each recognized party paid tribute in commemoration of the Speaker's achievement.

Legislation and Procedural Motions

Two bills which were considered as potential confidence measures were introduced in September. Bill C-50, An Act to amend the employment insurance act and increase benefits, was adopted by the House with the support of the NDP on November 3, 2009. Bill C-51, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled on January 27, 2009, which embodies the ways and means motion noted above, was reported back to the House by the Standing Committee on Finance without amendment on November 4, 2009.

Of note was the continued debate on Bill C-23, An Act to implement the Free Trade Agreement between Canada and the Republic of Colombia, the Agreement on the Environment between Canada and the Republic of Colombia and the Agreement on Labour Cooperation between Canada and the Republic of Colombia. As of October 9, 2009 the second reading motion, as well as a reasoned amendment and subamendment that had been moved in June, had been debated for over twenty-five hours.

The subamendment was defeated on October 7 and on October 9, 2009, the Government House Leader, Jay Hill sought unanimous consent to move--"That, notwithstanding any standing order or usual practice of the House, the second reading motion of Bill C-23 ... shall not be subject to any further amendments or subamendments", but consent was denied. The House Leader then availed himself of the provisions set out in Standing Order 56.1, according to which for any...