Amendments to the Content of Bills / Report Stage

Within scope of Royal Recommendation

Debates p. 4626

Background

During debate at report stage of Bill C-133, an Act to amend the National Housing Act, Mr. Broadbent (Oshawa-Whitby) moved a motion in amendment to include municipally owned corporations in the definition of non-profit housing corporations eligible for housing development loans. Mr. Basford (Minister of State for Urban Affairs) rose on a point of order to object that the motion changed the circumstances referred to in the Royal Recommendation and thus imposed a charge upon the Crown not provided in the Royal Recommendation.

Issue

Does the motion in amendment expand the scope of the Royal Recommendation and impose an unauthorized charge upon the Crown?

Decision

No. The motion in amendment is in order.

Reasons given by the Deputy Speaker

What the motion in amendment proposes to include appears to fit within the definition of a non-profit housing corporation. The Chair wishes not to give to narrow an interpretation to the Royal Recommendation and, as the motion in amendment is not clearly beyond the scope of the Royal Recommendation, it is in order.

References

Debates, June 11, 1973, pp. 4625-6.