Routine Proceedings / Motions

Time allocation

Journals pp.947-8

Debates pp. 10050-1

Background

During Routine Proceedings, Mr. MacEachen (President of the Privy Council) gave notice of his intention to move at the next sitting of the House a motion to allocate time for the consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bill C-259, an Act to amend the Income Tax Act... Mr. Baldwin (Peace River) rose on a point of order to ask that the 48-hour period for a written notice of motion required by the Standing Orders be insisted upon, and that the proposed motion include an allocation of time for all stages still to be considered. After hearing Members' comments, the Speaker ruled.

Issue

Is a written notice of 48 hours required when a motion allotting time is made? Is it irregular to move a motion allotting time that deals with only one stage?

Decision

No. The provisions of the Standing Order requiring a 48-hour notice do not apply to the notice of intention to move time allocation, nor is it irregular for such a motion to propose the allocation of time for only one stage of a bill.

Reasons given by the Speaker

In this case the provisions of the Standing Orders do not require a 48-hour written notice. The Standing Orders further state that a Minister who has given notice of an intention to do so, may "propose a motion for the purpose of allotting a specified number of days or hours for the consideration and disposal of proceedings at that stage". The Chair has no authority to go beyond the actual provisions of the Standing Orders in effect at this time; they must be observed as set down.

Sources cited

Standing Orders 6(5)(a), 26, 42(1), 43 and 75C.

References

Debates, December 1, 1971, pp. 10046-50.