Social-welfare legislation often comes in the form of private members’ bills, which are typically assigned lower priority. Many are repeatedly introduced across multiple parliamentary sessions but are never adopted. So, while the death of social legislation is not uncommon, the combined effect of prorogation and the federal election was particularly damaging in this case.

Although prorogation and Prime Minister Carney’s call for a spring election undermined the tackling of these worrisome and widespread public-health issues, the death of social-support legislation in Parliament is endemic.

A fundamental review and restructuring of Canada’s legislative process is warranted.

Australia and the U.K. offer some examples of possible structural reforms. With respect to the former, the Federation Chamber, technically a Parliamentary Committee, has provided a secondary venue for the debate and adoption of simple and uncontroversial legislation since 1994.