Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu rises during question period in the House of Commons in Ottawa on June 8, 2022.
When she rises in the House of Commons later this afternoon to launch the final round of debate on her backbench bid to protect workers’ pensions during corporate bankruptcy proceedings, Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu can take no small satisfaction in having achieved something that relatively few rank-and-file members will ever get the chance to do: successfully shepherd a private member’s bill through the chamber — with all-party support, even.
It may, however, be tempered by the knowledge that it could have gone even further to safeguard those hard-earned benefits — and, indeed, actually did go further, albeit briefly, courtesy of an opposition-backed amendment at committee that was ultimately declared null and void by the Speaker., Gladu proclaimed herself “disappointed” by the Speaker’s decision, although she stressed that she’s still looking forward to seeing the now unamended bill get the nod at third reading later this week.
At the beginning of every new Parliament, a review and debate of the Standing Orders has to take place. That debate has already happened in this Parliament, an d referred to PROC. PROC will have to report back its recommendations at some point.