The Pipeline Debate (May 8 to June 6, 1956) was one of the pivotal moments in the history of the Parliament of Canada. Although it appeared to be only a minor procedural problem at the time, the controversy surrounding it eventually led to the downfall of the Liberal Party government of Louis St. Laurent. May 8 is the 128th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (129th in leap years). ... June 6 is the 157th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (158th in leap years), with 208 days remaining. ... 1956 is a leap year starting on Sunday. ... The Parliament of Canada (in French: le Parlement du Canada) is Canadas legislative branch, seated at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario. ... The Liberal Party of Canada (French: Parti libéral du Canada) is Canadas largest political party. ... Louis Stephen St. ...

The debate was focussed on the construction of a pipeline to run from Alberta to Ontario and Quebec to provide a market for Alberta's natural gas. Although there was public support for the concept, St. Laurent's minister of trade and commerce, C.D. Howe, developed a plan to allow the pipeline to be built by a consortium with majority American ownership. The Canadian government would lend the consortium money for the start up costs. Motto: Fortis et Liber (Strong and free) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Edmonton Largest city Calgary Lieutenant Governor Norman Kwong Premier Ralph Klein (PC) Area 661,848 km² (6th)  - Land 642,317 km²  - Water 19,531 km² (2. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Lieutenant Governor James K. Bartleman Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Area 1,076,395 km² (4th)  - Land 917,741 km²  - Water 158,654 km² (14. ... This article describes the Canadian province. ... Natural gas - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... The Right Honourable Clarence Decatur Howe (January 15, 1886 - December 31, 1960) was a leading Canadian politician. ... The United States of America — also referred to as the United States, the U.S.A., the U.S., America, the States, or (archaically) Columbia—is a federal republic of 50 states located primarily in central North America (with the exception of two states: Alaska and Hawaii). ...

Throughout Canadian history, there has been opposition to foreign ownership of key Canadian assets. Although the Canadian Pacific Railway was built primarily with American and British capital, the threat of American ownership of the line was one of the factors that brought down the government of Sir John A. MacDonald during the Pacific Scandal. Eventually, the CPR was built with Canadian management, although most of its shares were eventually owned by Americans. The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR; AAR reporting marks CP, CPAA, CPI), known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a Canadian Class I railway operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited. ... The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the G8, the European Union, and NATO. Usually known simply as the United Kingdom, the UK, or (inaccurately) as Great Britain or Britain, the UK has four constituent... The Right Honourable Sir John Alexander Macdonald, GCB, QC (January 11, 1815 - June 6, 1891) was the first Prime Minister of Canada from July 1, 1867 - November 5, 1873 - and - October 17, 1878 - June 6, 1891. ... The Pacific scandal involves the allegations of bribes being taken by Canadas Conservative government of Sir John A. Macdonald. ...

The opposition Progressive Conservative Party and Co-operative Commonwealth Federation planned to delay the plan with a filibuster, a lengthy parliamentary debate. The Conservatives were opposed to the majority American ownership, even though it appeared to be temporary. The social democratic CCF wanted the pipeline to be owned by the government as it was sure to be profitable given the demand for gas in Eastern Canada. The opposition parties were aware that parliamentary approval of the plan had to be obtained by a particlur date in order to get the necessary financing in place in time for the pipeline to be started by July 1, as the Liberal government had promised. The opposition belived that if the Liberals missed this deadline, the plan might fall apart under its own weight, and a new all-Canadian consortium or a Crown Corporation might be put together at a later date. The Parliamentary Opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. ... The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada (PC) was a Canadian centre-right conservative political party that existed from 1867 to 2003. ... Tommy Douglas (centre) stands in front of a CCF billboard during an election campaign in Saskatchewan. ... Filibuster can mean a legislative tactic. ... Debate is a formalized system of (usually) logical argument. ... Social democracy is a political ideology emerging in the late 19th and early 20th centuries from supporters of Marxism who believed that the transition to a socialist society could be achieved through democratic evolutionary rather than revolutionary means. ... In Commonwealth countries a Crown corporation is a state-controlled company or enterprise (a public corporation). ...

In order to counter the opposition tactics, the Liberals attempted to force closure - a vote suspending debate on the pipeline issue and forcing a final vote. However, on the day before the deadline, the Speaker of the House of Commons René Beaudoin, a Liberal, allowed the opposition to debate a procedural matter. He ruled at the end of the day that debate on this issue would continue the following day, effectively allowing the opposition parties to debate the issue past the deadline. In parliamentary procedure, cloture (pr: KLO-cher) (also called closure) is a motion or process aimed at bringing debate to a quick end. ... In Canada the Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the lower house and is elected by fellow MPs. ...

However, overnight, the Speaker reversed his position on the procedural motion, and ruled that debate on the issue was over, allowing the closure motion to proceed. The opposition parties strongly objected to the reversal. They claimed that the Prime Minister and Howe had put pressure on the Speaker to change his mind. This may have been unfounded, as the original decision to allow the procedural debate was arguably incorrect in the first place. As a result of the Speaker's reversal, Howe and St. Laurent were able to push through the loan guarantee legislation on June 6.

The victory was short lived as the Progressive Conservatives and their populist leader, John Diefenbaker, used the pipeline issue to show that the Liberals had become arrogant during their long time in power. At the time of the debate, the Liberals had been in office with a majority government for 21 consecutive years under William Lyon MacKenzie King and St. Laurent. In the 1957 election, the Conservatives won a minority government, and in the 1958 election, Diefenbaker won the largest majority in Canadian history. The Liberals did not win another majority government until 1968 under the leadership of Pierre Trudeau. John George Diefenbaker (September 18, 1895 - August 16, 1979) was the thirteenth Prime Minister of Canada. ... William Lyon Mackenzie King ( December 17, 1874– July 22, 1950) was the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921, to June 28, 1926; September 25, 1926, to August 7, 1930; and October 23, 1935, to November 15, 1948. ... The Canadian federal election of 1957 was held June 10, 1957. ... For minority régime, see Apartheid. ... The 24th general election was held just nine months after the 23rd and transformed Prime Minister John Diefenbakers minority into the largest ever majority government in Canadian history. ... In the Westminster System, a majority government is one in which the government enjoys an absolute majority of seats in the legislature or Parliament. ... In the Canadian federal election of June 25, 1968, the Liberal Party won a majority government under its new leader, Pierre Trudeau. ... Name Pierre Elliott Trudeau Number Fifteenth First term April 20, 1968–June 4,1979 Second term March 3, 1980–June 30, 1984 Predecessor Lester Bowles Pearson Successors Joe Clark John Napier Turner Date of birth October 18, 1919 Place of birth Montreal, Quebec Date of death September 28, 2000 Spouse...