Amendments and Subamendments to Motions / Relevance

Subamendment; beyond scope of amendment

Journals p. 47

Debates p. 439

Background

When the House reached Government Orders, Mr. Gray (Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs) moved to appoint a special joint committee "to enquire into and make recommendations upon the trends in food prices in Canada and factors domestic and foreign which account for these trends". Mr. Lawrence (Northumberland-Durham) moved an amendment to appoint the committee from the House of Commons only and to exclude the Senate. Mrs. MacInnis (Vancouver-Kingsway) then moved a subamendment requiring the committee to present an interim report to the House within two months of its first sitting. The Deputy Speaker expressed some reservations about the procedural acceptability of the subamendment, and invited comments from the Members before ruling.

Issue

Is the subamendment relevant to the amendment?

Decision

No. The subamendment is therefore out of order.

Reasons given by the Speaker

The subamendment relates to the main motion, which seeks to establish a joint committee, rather than to the amendment, which seeks to eliminate referral to the Senate.

References

Debates, January 18, 1973, pp. 435-9.