NDP MP Sheila Malcolmson has done something never been done before in Parliament.
She has successfully appealed a ruling on a private member's bill that will see members of Parliament participate in a historic secret ballot vote.
The Nanaimo-Ladysmith MP's abandoned vessel's bill (C-352) was deemed "non-voteable" by a committee, essentially leaving it dead in the water.
But she decided to pursue a never-before-used procedural tool to bring it back to life, and the speaker of the house has allowed it to proceed.
"It's intention is to institute a framework of penalties and fines and to criminalize abandonment of vessels."
Malcolmson believes her bill fills gaps left by the government's legislation and thinks they could coexist to better address the issue of shipwrecked boats on Canadian shores.
"My challenge to the Trudeau government is, if you don't like what's in my bill, have the courage to actually vote it down in public and let it go to debate, and let us have the conversation in parliament. Don't stop it now."
MPs will now vote on whether they agree with the committee's ruling on the bill. The vote will take next Tuesday and Wednesday.
A debate on the bill is scheduled in Parliament, December 6th.