Exploring the Role of ‘Legislators’ in Canada: Do Members of Parliament Influence Policy?

In Canada, the decline of parliament and the dominance of the executive have received much scholarly attention. Meanwhile, the legislative and policy roles of Members of Parliament have generally been viewed as negligible. This study suggests that such roles may in fact be much more significant than previously believed, in part due to endogenous rule changes governing Private Members' Business over the past 25 years. Evidence is provided suggesting not only that MPs are generally more successful at getting legislation passed in recent years, but also that they appear to be able to influence government policy ‘indirectly’ through their participation in Private Members' Business.