Routine Proceedings / Petitions

Conditions for reading and debate

Debates pp. 12639-41

Background

On November 4, Mr. Wenman (Fraser Valley West) rose on a point of order requesting the reading of a petition presented by him the previous day concerning the impact of high mortgage rates, and which was judged to be in conformity with the Standing Orders. The Speaker asked for the unanimous consent of the House, whereupon Mr. Nielsen (Yukon) rose on a point of order to submit that unanimous consent of the House is not required in order to have a petition read, and that the Chair has a discretion to grant that permission in order to have a discussion of the matter to which the Member is speaking. Mr. Deans (Hamilton Mountain) also rose on a point of order and requested that the Speaker provide some guidance on the interpretation of the Standing Order which states "if [the petition] complain[s] of some present personal grievance requiring an immediate remedy, the matter contained therein may be brought into immediate discussion". The Speaker took the matter under consideration and ruled a few days later.

Issue

Is unanimous consent required for a petition to be read and debated when the subject of the petition is not a present personal grievance?

Decision

Yes. Unanimous consent is required.

Reasons given by the Speaker

Petitions are not usually read, unless the House gives its consent. For a petition to be considered, it must relate to a present and personal grievance, and not a "result of the general law, ...the vagaries of supply and demand or...the forces in the marketplace". Furthermore, the grievance must be one that could be alleviated forthwith rather than one which would require legislation or some other action, which is not the case in this instance.

Sources cited

Standing Order 67(8).

United Kingdom, House of Commons, Debates, June 14, 1844, vol. 75, col. 1264.

Bourinot, 4th ed., pp. 230-1.

May, 19th ed., pp. 811-22.

References

Debates, November 3, 1981, p. 12447; November 4, 1981, pp. 12502-3.