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Backbencher Revolt |
Timeline of Events
October 21, 2002
- In a speech at York University Law School, Paul Martin asserts that
the Prime Minister’s Office holds too much power over individual Members
of Parliament (MPs). Martin outlines a plan to give MPs more influence.
October 29, 2002
- The Procedure and House Affairs Committee recommends that the Chairs
and Vice Chairs of parliamentary committees be elected by secret ballot.
- The Procedure and House Affairs Committee serves notice that it will
make a motion in the House of Commons to pass the recommendation.
October 30, 2002
- The Opposition parties (in particular the Canadian Alliance) publicly
state that they will support the motion to pass the recommendation of
the Committee.
- Many Liberal backbenchers (including Paul Martin) publicly state
that they will vote with the Opposition parties (and against the Prime
Minister).
October 31, 2002
- Prime Minister Chretien holds a special meeting of Liberal MPs to
force them to vote against the Committee’s recommendation.
- Peter Adams (Liberal MP and Chair of the Standing Committee on Procedure
and House Affairs) makes a motion in the House of Commons to adopt the
Committee’s recommendation.
- Liberal MPs delay a vote on the motion.
- The Canadian Alliance asserts that they would force a vote on the
issue the following week.
November 4-5, 2002
- Senior Liberal Party officials try to find a compromise that would
allow Liberal MPs to vote as a bloc. Those efforts fail and the Prime
Minister is forced to declare a free vote (allowing MPs to cast their
ballots as they pleased).
November 05, 2002
- The Committee’s recommendation is passed in the House of Commons
by a vote of 174 to 87.
- 56 Liberal MPs (including Paul Martin) vote in favour of the motion.
The remaining Liberals (including the Prime Minister) vote against the
motion.
November 06, 2002
- The Liberal government adopted a second reform in parliamentary procedure
that would make all private members’ bills votable in the House of Commons.
The Liberals agreed to pass it rather than face another embarrassing
vote that would highlight the rift in the party's ranks.
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