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The daily routine of business, commonly referred to as Routine Proceedings, is a time in the daily schedule when business of a basic nature is considered, providing Members with an opportunity to bring a variety of matters to the attention of the House, generally without debate. The House proceeds to Routine Proceedings at the opening of the sitting on Tuesdays and Thursdays (immediately after the Speaker has read the prayer and ordered the doors opened), at 3:00 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, and at noon on Fridays (immediately following Question Period).[61] This segment of the daily program consists of separate rubrics called by the Speaker each day and considered in succession. These rubrics include:
After Routine Proceedings on Wednesdays, “Notices of Motions for the Production of Papers” is considered immediately after “Questions on the Order Paper” (for further information, see the section in this chapter entitled “Notices of Motions for the Production of Papers”). Applications for emergency debates are also considered after Routine Proceedings, prior to the calling of Orders of the Day.[62] As the Speaker calls each item in Routine Proceedings, Members who wish to bring forward matters rise in their place and are recognized. Usually they will have previously indicated to the Chair or the Table their wish to raise an item.[63] The amount of time required to complete Routine Proceedings varies from day to day depending on the number of items dealt with under each rubric. The Standing Orders prescribe that the rubric “Introduction of Government Bills” must be called and completed each sitting day.[64] In concrete terms, this means that the first two rubrics (“Tabling of Documents” and “Introduction of Government Bills”) must be considered each sitting day. Thus, at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Statements by Members interrupts Routine Proceedings if the heading “Introduction of Government Bills” has not yet been completed. The ordinary daily routine of business then continues at 3:00 p.m., immediately after Question Period, until all items under “Introduction of Government Bills” are completed, suspending as much of the hour set aside for Private Members’ Business as necessary.[65] Obviously, this does not apply on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, since on those days Statements by Members and Question Period take place before Routine Proceedings. If the proceedings under “Introduction of Government Bills” are not completed by the ordinary hour of daily adjournment, the House continues to sit and carries on with Routine Proceedings until the rubric “Introduction of Government Bills” has been completed. The Speaker then adjourns the House until the next sitting day.[66] However, on days when time remains for Routine Proceedings after “Introduction of Government Bills” is completed, Routine Proceedings could possibly continue until interrupted either by the normal adjournment of the sitting on Mondays,[67] by Statements by Members on Tuesdays and Thursdays,[68] or by Private Members’ Business on Wednesdays and Fridays.[69]
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