The Pipeline Debate (May 8 – June 6, 1956) was a political event in the history of the Parliament of Canada. The debate was on the finances of the TransCanada pipeline, proper parliamentary procedure, and American economic influence on Canada. The controversy eventually contributed to the defeat of Louis St. Laurent at the polls in 1957, ending 22 years of Liberal rule, and bringing in a government under Progressive Conservative Prime Minister John Diefenbaker. Background To meet the growing needs of Ontario and Quebec with the bountiful supply of natural gas in Alberta, St. Laurent and his Minister of Trade and Commerce, C. D. Howe, decided to allow TransCanada PipeLines, LP to build a gas pipeline from the west to the east. St. Laurent and Howe favoured a longer, more expensive route, entirely through Canadian territory, rejecting the route of the American oil pipeline, which was shorter but crossed into the United States on its way to Eastern Canada. The parliamentary debate on the issue focused on two issues: A consortium that included American interests required government loans to cover the extra costs incurred by building the long route. Whether involving American businesses in the construction would inevitably lead to the government surrendering the pipeline to American control. The opposition Progressive Conservative Party and Co-operative Commonwealth Federation planned to delay the plan with a filibuster. Debate The opposition parties were aware that parliamentary approval of the plan had to be obtained by June 6, 1956, to get necessary financing in time for pipeline construction to start by July 1, as the Liberal government had promised. The opposition believed 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. To counter the opposition tactics, the Liberals attempted to force closure, a vote ending debate and forcing a final vote, at every stage of the bill. The motions were carried by the Liberal majority. Two weeks of debate received much coverage in most media outlets. Deadline On the day before the deadline, Liberal Speaker of the House of Commons René Beaudoin 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. Howe was furious at