Andrew Steele considers this week’s turn of events.
The blame for the conduct of all Parliaments falls on its first minister, as they typically reflect his personality. Just as in St. Laurent’s era the Commons was sleep and business-oriented, or in Diefenbaker’s it was mercurial and increasingly unstable, Harper’s Parliaments are growing increasingly obsessed with tactical advantage with no regard to long-term outcome. So it is a blessed relief to have something productive and positive emerge that demonstrates there is still an ability to come down off the Parliament Hill pedestals and move files forward in a thoughtful way.