Questions Related to Content of Bills / Discrepancy

Royal Recommendation

Journals pp. 436-7

Debates pp. 5094-5

Background

On the last allotted day of the supply period ending on June 30, Mr. Nielsen (Yukon) rose on a point of order to argue that certain votes in the Estimates appropriated money not only for the current fiscal year but also for subsequent fiscal years. He claimed that as the Royal Recommendation is valid only for the current fiscal year, these votes were out of order. Mr. Drury (President of the treasury Board) rose on the same point of order to state that the Royal Recommendation covered the votes in question and that appropriating money for future fiscal years was "in accordance with long-standing parliamentary tradition". After hearing another Member, the Deputy Speaker ruled.

Issue

Can items in the Estimates provide funding for future fiscal years?

Decision

Yes.

Reasons given by the Deputy Speaker

There is no requirement in the Standing Orders that money recommended by the Governor General in that session be spent "within a particular fiscal year or session". Indeed, for some capital works projects or certain loans and investments, it would be impossible to do so.

Sources cited

British North America Act, 1867, s. 54.

Financial Administration Act, R.S.C. 1970, c. F-10, s. 20.

Standing Order 62(1).

References

Debates, June 26, 1973, pp. 5090-4.