A Matter of Confidence
OVERVIEW
Convention dictates that only the House of Commons can move a confidence motion.
The Liberal-dominated Senate held up both the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (1988) and the introduction of the GST (1990) before Prime Minister Brian Mulroney appointed eight additional members, tilting the balance of power.
This was the limit of the Liberals' stalling power.
LOOKING BACK
Two budgets were defeated during the 1970s, leading to the government's resignation and an election campaign.
1974
Pierre Trudeau and the Liberals had only two more seats than the Tories, and relied on the NDP to stay in power. After two years, and with a majority in reach, the Grits engineered their own defeat with a May budget the New Democrats could not support. The gambit worked. Progressive Conservative Leader Robert Stanfield boasted to TIME magazine that "I want an election soon. I think we will win it." His rival Trudeau laughed last, picking up 32 seats and a clear majority.
1979
The Progressive Conservatives, back in power under Joe Clark after 16 years, failed to pass their first budget. The government assumed they would survive the December vote, which included a controversial excise tax on fuel to reduce the deficit. Famously, several Tory MPs were absent. The Liberals, busy planning a leadership race to replace Trudeau, decided instead to defeat Clark. Trudeau returned to win a Liberal majority in February 1980.
LEARN MORE
House of Commons Procedure and Practice - Prorogation and Dissolution
House of Commons Procedure and Practice – The Business of Ways and Means
How Canadians Govern Themselves (Eugene Forsey)
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