Interim government House leader Steven MacKinnon seeks better decorum in Parliament

Members of Parliament from all parties must set a better tone when the House of Commons resumes later this month, interim Liberal House leader Steven MacKinnon said Monday.

MacKinnon was speaking shortly after being sworn in at a private ceremony at Rideau Hall to temporarily replace Karina Gould as the Liberals' main House of Commons manager while she is on maternity leave.

"There's no question we can do better," said MacKinnon.

The MP for Gatineau, Que. is now in charge of negotiating with other parties to shepherd legislation through the lower chamber.

The short term cabinet adjustment comes as many lament the collapse of decorum in the House of Commons, where personal heckling and legislative manoeuvring led to an overnight voting marathon last month.

MacKinnon said it was a "testy" autumn in the House but he is pledging an "open-door policy" aimed at finding common ground with opposition parties.

He argued Liberals respected House rules more than parties who sought to obstruct legislation, a framing the Conservatives have repeatedly rejected. But he also said MPs from all parties, including his own fellow Liberals, need to display better behaviour.

Karina Gould, leader of the Government in the House of Commons, rises during question period in the House of Commons on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. Gatineau MP Steven MacKinnon is replacing Gould as House leader during her maternity leave. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)

"At times, the climate and the atmosphere inside the House of Commons is not one that you would recommend to people as a workplace," he said.

"All members of Parliament carry with them into the House of Commons a need for better respect of the rules and better respect of those institutions."

MacKinnon said progress on pharmacare remains a top priority for the government, and a core part of an agreement that has the NDP propping up the Liberal minority government. He gave no indication of how the Liberals will follow through on their aim to introduce pharmacare legislation by March.

The supply and confidence agreement with the NDP initially called for pharmacare legislation to be passed before the end of 2023 but the two parties agreed to a delay late last year. They now want the legislation introduced by March 1.

MacKinnon was elected in 2015 and was appointed the chief government whip in 2021. Brampton North MP Ruby Sahota will take on the role of government whip.