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MPs prepare for marathon Bill C-38 session

Our Members of Parliament will be burning the midnight oil Wednesday night, as they stay up late to vote on some 159 opposition amendments to the budget implementation bill, C-38.

According to Kady O'Malley of CBC News, the 'festivities' are likely to get underway by 6pm (EST) tonight carry on through the night and wrap up approximately 24 hours later, likely early Thursday evening.

A test of stamina for MPs:

All parties will expect that their MPs be present for the full marathon session.

The Conservatives, with a 21-member majority, have a bit more leeway than the opposition parties who will have to have all their members around in a continued show of force if they want to have any hope of passing an amendment.

According to the Huffington Post, MPs will be allowed to leave their chair between votes to use the washrooms.

Food will be provided in the lobbies just outside the chamber and MPs will be allowed to re-enter the House before a new vote has started.

[ Related: Bill C-38 to 'strip' foreign strippers of work visas ]

Parties are also planning sleep rotations in case voting carries on longer than expected.

MPs preparing themselves:

Heritage Minister James Moore told the Globe and Mail that it would have been worse in the pre-Internet and Wi-Fi days.

"Now we have our iPads. We will have connectivity to our offices, to work and family, and there will be plenty of opportunity to find lots of work to get done."

Brent Rathgeber, the MP for Edmonton-St. Albert, said his plan is to get as much sleep as he can in advance.

"And then you resort to your old university tricks, which is drink lots of coffee and try to stay alert. You try to pay attention or you put something on your laptop because otherwise those eyelids are going to get very heavy."

Judy Sgro, the Liberal MP for York West in Toronto, said she absolutely dreads these sessions.

"I have no idea how I am ever going to get through it because, when 11 o'clock comes, I am out like a light," she told the Globe.

Former Liberal MP Dan McTeague -- who now runs Tomorrowsgaspricetoday.com -- has been through quite few filibusters during his 18 years in office.

He told Yahoo! Canada News that the one that stands out for him was the Nisgaa agreement back around 1998 when Reformers inserted about 800 amendments to one bill on land treaties.

"It's something I'm sure the Conservatives don't like to be reminded of both in terms of what they opposed and how they opposed it. It took an entire weekend," he said.

[ Related: Bill C-38: is it time for critics of the Bill to move on? ]

"Since most MP's were prepared for the long haul, most will be good for the first 24 hours, catching a little nap here and there. After that, it's anyone's guess, fatigue, raw nerves will lead to some interesting antics, further delay or just throwing in the towel.

"Most will be thinking about summer and the light at the end of the tunnel."

Let the insanity begin.