Chrystia Freeland looked pretty pleased with herself as she left the chamber of the House of Commons after her ways and means motion on raising capital gains taxes passed easily on Tuesday afternoon. It was the look of someone who, if they were a chocolate drop, would have eaten themselves.

The deputy prime minister appears to believe she’d just executed the inflection point in Liberal fortunes: that is, the party is still wildly unpopular but is no longer in freefall and may now nurture hopes of recovery.