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OTTAWA — Liberal backbencher Robert-Falcon Ouellette admits he was nervous before voting against his own government last week. “It was a sleepless night the night before,” he says. “And as the vote approached, I wasn’t sure how to go about it. I wasn’t even sure when to stand.”

The government was pushing to end debate on its assisted-dying legislation. When it seemed the last opposition vote against the motion had been cast, Ouellette rose from the sea of sitting Liberals and stood alone so his own opposition could be counted.

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Ouellette’s vote didn’t change the result; the motion to shut down debate on Bill C-14 easily passed with support from the rest of the Liberal caucus. But it was notable for being the latest example of a backbencher breaking ranks with his own government. The question is how far such dissent will be allowed to spread.

Justin Trudeau pledged during the election to give backbenchers more power in Parliament if the Liberals formed government. The promise was aimed at voters tired of Stephen Harper and his staff exerting near-complete control over Conservative MPs, and even senators, for more than a decade.