Amendments to Motions on Progress of Bills / Second Reading

Seeking to amend clause

Journals pp. 312-3

Debates p. 3153 

Background

On November 30, 1970, during debate on a motion for second reading of Bill C-186, an Act to authorize the provision of moneys to meet certain capital expenditures of the Canadian National Railways System and Air Canada ..., Mr. Howe  (Wellington-Grey-Dufferin-Waterloo)  proposed an amendment that the bill be not now read a second time because it did not specify the appointment of the Auditor General of Canada as a joint auditor of the CNR. The Deputy Speaker reserved his decision on the admissibility of the amendment as he wanted to confer with the Speaker.

Issue

Is a second reading amendment acceptable if it attempts to change a specific provision of the bill?

Decision

No, an amendment of this type cannot be put during debate on motion for second reading.

Reasons given by the Deputy Speaker

The amendment does not oppose the principle of the bill. "It opposes or adds to the provision of [a] clause", thereby altering a detail in the bill. This might be attempted in committee or at report stage, but not at second reading.

Sources cited

Beauchesne, 4th ed., pp. 279-80, c. 389; p. 281, c. 393(3).

May, 17th ed., pp. 527-8.

References

Debates, November 30, 1970, pp. 1592-4.