Opposition MPs are accusing the federal Conservatives of playing childish games and employing bullying tactics to shut down debate at committees and force Parliament into a state of gridlock.

Conservatives have been blocking votes and motions by opposition members by filibustering in the Senate as well as at a number of House of Commons committees.

"Democracy's grinding to a halt all over Parliament Hill and these guys are blocking and filibustering everywhere you look," charged NDP MP Pat Martin on Thursday.

The opposition accused the government of playing games to avoid hard questions.

"All they've got left is petty vindictiveness, bullying procedural tactics, filibustering, shutting down opposition debate on important issues," said NDP Leader Jack Layton during question period.

"They're winding down and terminating the good work of committees."

Tories did not show up at the official languages committee Thursday to hear witnesses criticize their government for killing the court challenges program.

The Conservatives had cancelled the meeting when it was first scheduled last week, leading the opposition to vote out the Conservative committee chair.

Conservatives on at least two other committees Thursday used up hours and hours debating when to hear witnesses.

At Thursday's meeting of the procedure and house affairs committee, for example, Conservative MP Joe Preston talked for an hour and a half.

While explaining his opposition to a bill on the use of replacement workers, Preston also talked about his favourite pens.

Liberal MP Stephen Owen called his tactics a joke.

"You know at some point this government's gotta recognize that it does not represent the majority of Canadians. And to play charades like this, I mean we look like children, it's a silly game, it's undemocratic and it's disrespectful to Canadians."

University of Ottawa professor Amir Attaran wanted to testify at the access to information, privacy and ethics committee that the government has tried to cover up things about the Afghanistan mission that should be public.

But the Tories bogged down the committee by debating the order of witnesses for nearly six hours before Attaran got his chance.

'That's obstruction and delay'

Government House Leader Peter Van Loan shot back with his own list of business he said the opposition has tried to obstruct

"Let me tell you about delay and obstruction," he said. "Let's talk about some bills that were at the justice committee, [Bill] C-10, mandatory penalties for gun crimes.

"That was there for 252 days. That's obstruction and delay."

Conservative MP and House Whip Jay Hill said that increasingly, the three opposition parties are behaving as though they're the coalition government. 

"So we're using the tools available to us to push back."