Amendments to the Content of Bills / Report Stage

Not a reading stage

Journals pp. 946-7

Debates p. 7963

Background

When the House resumed consideration of the report stage of Bill C-150, an Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Parole Act ..., the Speaker made a statement regarding certain motions thought to be out of order. Two of the motions were in the name of Mr. Rodrigue (Beauce); the other two in the names of Mr. Laprise (Abitibi) and Mr. Valade (Ste. Marie). Each of these motions proposed that a specific clause be not now read but its consideration postponed until certain stated conditions were met.

Issue

Can motions in amendment propose that clauses of a bill be not now read?

Decision

No. The proposed motions in amendment do not meet the requirements for amendments allowed at report stage.

Reasons given by the Speaker

These motions are reasoned amendments which are of a kind normally considered at second reading, and certainly cannot be moved at this stage.

References

Debates, April 25, 1969, p. 7962.