Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, speaks with Prime Minister Mark Carney before Question Period in Ottawa on Monday.

Like boxers tapping gloves before a fight, Prime Minister Mark Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre shared a few quiet words and a laugh in the aisle of the House of Commons just moments before they were to spar for the first time.

And for a time Monday, Question Period was a friendly match between the Liberal government and a Conservative bench reinvigorated by Mr. Poilievre’s return to Parliament after a by-election win this summer.

Though Parliament sat briefly after the spring election, Mr. Poilievre had lost his seat and thus the role of Opposition Leader was handled by Andrew Scheer. Then, Damien Kurek, who had just been re-elected as Conserv

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