the action. However, at the next day's session, Beaudoin announced that the previous day's ruling was a mistake caused by the procedural confusion, all events after 2:15 that day should be ignored, and debate would immediately recommence on the pipeline. The opposition parties strongly objected to the reversal, and chaos quickly broke out in Commons. MPs ran into the centre aisle, and Major Coldwell, the CCF Leader, went on to the Speaker's dais, shaking his fist and berating Beaudoin. Liberal MP Lorne MacDougall died while in the Centre Block, which was then blamed on the stress of the issue. The Opposition claimed that the Prime Minister and Howe had pressured the Speaker to change his mind. As a result of the Speaker's reversal, Howe and St. Laurent were able to push through the loan guarantee legislation on June 6. The deadline turned out not to be as important as originally thought: the factories that would construct pipe for the pipeline went on strike, delaying construction for a full year. Aftermath The Progressive Conservatives used the pipeline debate to show that the Liberals had become arrogant during their 21 consecutive years in government. In the 1957 election, the Progressive Conservatives won a minority government, and in the 1958 election, Diefenbaker won the largest majority in Canadian history. Beaudoin's reputation was also destroyed. A motion of censure was tabled by George Drew but failed by Liberal opposition. The loans given to the American businesses involved in the construction of the pipeline were paid in full, ahead of schedule, and the pipeline still remains under Canadian control. TransCanada Corporation of Calgary, Alberta, owns and operates the pipeline. TransCanada Corp. is a publicly-traded company on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange. References 1956 in Canada Political scandals in Canada Conservatism in Canada