Adjournment Motion / Proposed under Standing Order 26 - Application not Accepted

Debate not urgent; other opportunities for debate

Debates pp. 21792-3

Background

Mr. Broadbent (Oshawa) sought leave to move the adjournment of the House, under the provisions of Standing Order 26, in order to discuss the advisability of the Government of Canada concluding an agreement with the Government of the United States to test Cruise missile weaponry in Canada. In his view, this matter was of an urgent nature, because an agreement had already been negotiated and the details would be announced before the end of the Christmas recess. The Speaker ruled immediately.

Issue

Does the application meet the requirements of Standing Order 26?

Decision

No. The application is not accepted.

Reasons given by the Speaker

Since the Chair has consistently defined "genuine emergency" as a sudden occurence, the condition has not been met in this case, even though the text of the agreement has been agreed upon and the House is to adjourn tomorrow. Moreover, with regard to the adjournment, a precedent indicates that if "the hon. member suggested that a factor involved is the impending adjournment or recess of the House, if that is in fact a reality... it would be a rather anomalous and difficult situation for the House to deal with". Moreover, the matter of an agreement for the testing of Cruise missiles in Canada has been raised in the House under various forms, more particularly as a non-confidence motion under supply proceedings.

Sources cited

Debates, July 24, 1975, p. 7905; April 29, 1982, pp. 16736-70.

Beauchesne, 5th ed., p. 92, c. 288.