The views of how Canada's Parliament has been run by the Conservative majority could not be more divergent.
While appearing on CTV's Question Period, Government House Leader Peter Van Loan said he recognizes there has been frustration in the Opposition benches over the government speeding up the legislative process but noted: "Our focus is delivering on our commitments to the Canadian people."
The reaction from the other side was blunt.
"What we're seeing is ramming bills through," said Megan Leslie, the NDP MP from Halifax. "Let's do it at a reasonable pace. I almost can't keep track. There's so much being pushed through without debate."
Justin Trudeau, Liberal MP from Papineau, Que., claimed a Canadian prime minister with a majority has more power than any other leader in a Western democracy.
"He has a majority in both houses and gets to do what he wants," he said.
In an earlier segment of the show, Van Loan said the government is using time allocation in the House of Commons to limit debate and avoid political gridlock, then he added: "The Opposition wants no changes and for nothing to happen."
He pointed out that 117 speeches had been delivered in the House on the budget bill and that only three of the Conservative priority bills had made it through the Commons -- the budget, the reorganization of the Wheat Board, and the fair representation bill which will add 30 seats to the Commons.
Van Loan said the government has been frustrated by delays on its keynote omnibus crime bill and the bill that will end the long-gun registry.
"Canadians gave us a majority because they want us to deliver on our priorities," he said.
The discussion became lively when Toronto Conservative MP Dean Del Mastro told Leslie and Trudeau that the government is always open to suggestions.
"If the Opposition has good ideas to bring forward, we'll consider them," he said.
Leslie countered that when the copyright bill reached the House it contained not even one of the recommendations made by a Parliamentary committee.
"They just want to push through their own agenda," she said of the ruling Conservatives.
Trudeau also disagreed with Del Mastro's assertion.
"They don't even bother reading the amendments put forward," he said.
It being so close to Christmas, Trudeau's appearance ended with two gifts for the Tories.
He complimented the government for its "exemplary" handling of the huge ship-building contract which was split between Nova Scotia and British Columbia shipyards -- "even though we (Quebec) were the losers."
He also praised Foreign Minister John Baird as "an excellent foreign minister, particularly in his work fighting against gay bashing around the world, like in Uganda. That's strong for Conservatives."
In a conversation with Â鶹´«Ã½ Channel, University of Montreal political science professor Bruce Hicks said the government seems to be having problems adjusting to its majority since most of their priority pieces of legislation have stalled.
"Not the most stellar record," he said.
Hicks said the Conservatives have been "very heavy-handed" in their use of time allocation and private committee meetings.
"They've been unnecessarily confrontational," he said. "They do have a majority and should take comfort in that -- and maybe they would get more done with the Opposition and it wouldn't become a procedural game."
