As Conservative House tactics persist, Gould suggests Poilievre's party take a 'time-out'

As members of Parliament are bracing for the end of the House of Commons sitting—on time despite persisting Conservative delay tactics—Government House Leader Karina Gould says she thinks Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's party needs "a little time-out."

Tensions are always running high in the final few weeks of the House sitting before a prolonged break, but after a jam-packed political fall and last week's threat from Poilievre to use every tool in his arsenal to jam up the House to prevent Liberal legislation from advancing, cross-party relations are considerably strained.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday morning, Government House Leader Karina Gould put the Conservatives on blast over what's been a week of smaller-scale delay tactics compared to last week's marathon filibuster, but have still had the effect of slowing down progress on priority government legislation. 

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MPs were supposed to be debating Bill C-50, the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act on Thursday, but in line with an unsuccessful attempt Conservative MPs made at committee, the party tried to register nearly 200 amendments to the 11-page piece of legislation. 

In response, Gould dropped the bill from the agenda and called the so-called "anti-scab" legislation for debate instead, stating she wasn't "going to indulge yet another one of Mr. Poilievre’s temper tantrums."

"In this parliamentary session, the Conservatives have obstructed over a third of days of debate of government business," Gould said Thursday. "I think they need a little time-out … I think they need to, have a moment to reflect on their behaviour and to think about whether this is how they really want to represent their constituents by bringing silly partisan games that are not going to have an impact."

One of this week's examples of how the Conservatives ate into House time was when Poilievre used the "unlimited time" allowed to him during Tuesday's debate on Bill C-59, the government's fall economic statement implementation legislation, to stand on his feet for nearly two hours talking about the economy.

As he did so, MPs from other parties peppered his address with points of order asking if, and when, he intended to end his remarks so they could ask him some questions.

"Mr. Speaker, there is no limit to my speaking time, just like there is no limit to Canada's potential. If only we had some common sense," Poilievre quipped after one interruption.

"Every time I get interrupted, I think of something else to say. It just prolongs my remarks," he said, after another.

While Liberal frustration over opposition House tactics is an evergreen issue in Ottawa, as is the Conservatives' assertion the issue is poor agenda management, the government's top legislative manager went on to note some of the bills that have been slowed down — a clearly stated goal of Poilievre's party — over the last few months.

This included bills that would advance economic and other support for housing, Ukraine and curbing grocery prices.

Gould suggested that through the Conservatives' comportment on these files, Poilievre has shown Canadians "who he is."

"The House will rise tomorrow, that is the end of the House calendar… Mr. Poilievre was all huff and bluster last week when he said all of these things that he was going to do, and he hasn't been able to deliver," Gould said, referencing Poilievre's vow to "ruin" Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Christmas vacation until he relented on the carbon tax. 

"He likes to talk a big game, but he can’t deliver," Gould said, not addressing the series of priority bills the Liberals would have liked to see pass by now, but which haven’t.

"We are almost at the end of what some might say was the gong show session of Parliament," said NDP MP Charlie Angus on his way into Thursday's question period. He went on to go over what he sees as NDP-led accomplishments in the House of Commons over the fall sitting.

"For New Democrats, we stayed focused the whole time. We saw the Conservatives using their position to try and block really fundamental things, for example, sustainable jobs legislation… we had to deal with all kinds of monkey business," Angus said. "We saw Pierre Poilievre cost the taxpayers just this past week probably about $2 million in (an) around-the-clock stunt where we actually did get to see where the Conservatives stand."

Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages Randy Boissonnault shared his take on this year’s parliamentary proceedings as well.

"I think this session was feisty. At the same time, we got a lot done," Boissonnault said. "You saw some spicy question periods and some committees that got bogged down… but at the end of the day, the agreement we have with the New Democrats remains strong."

Conservative MP Kevin Waugh described the fall sitting as "pretty intense."

"What do you expect? Canadians are hurting. This government doesn’t realize it, and that’s why it’s intense in the House," Waugh said.

While in seasons past, all parties have come together to unanimously agree to adjourn for the holidays a day or two early, that won't be happening this year.

MPs are expected to sit their usual hours on Friday, as the Liberals press to move a few more bills forward before calling it a year. The House of Commons will then stand adjourned until Jan. 29, 2024.

Getting in their end-of-year holiday well wishes on Thursday, Gould heaped praise on all of the House of Commons employees, while NDP MP and party whip Rachel Blaney extended her thanks to Parliament Hill interpreters, translators and other staff that keep MPs safe and fed.

In offering up his appreciation, Conservative MP Garnett Genuis, on behalf of his party, thanked everyone for "their hard work over the last year."

With files from CTV News' Annie Bergeron-Oliver