Precedence and Sequence / Estimates

Notice to oppose

Journals pp. 435-6

Debates p. 5069-70

Background

After the Speaker had called the Orders of the Day to put before the House a non-votable supply day motion of Mr. Nielsen (Yukon) which opposed specific items in the Estimates, Mr. Baldwin (Peace River) rose on a point of order to urge that the right of the House to effectively reduce votes in the Estimates be restored. He argued that even if a standing committee voted a reduction, the Government could overturn the decision by a motion to concur in the Estimates. He further urged that the House devise "a method by which certain ... votes ... be the subject of discussion and of decision. [Otherwise] the question of supply will be turned into an utter farce and will become a nullity."

Issue

Do the rules on supply proceedings adopted by the House in 1968 permit a reduction of votes in the Estimates?

Decision

In this specific instance, there is no opportunity for a vote because the votable supply day motions have already been used. If, in a hypothetical situation, the motion of Mr. Nielsen were not put forward, supply business of the Government would come before the House for debate and a vote.

Reasons given by the Speaker

Specific items in the Estimates may be debated as proposed in the motion of Mr. Nielsen. However, because the votable supply day motions have already been exhausted, there would be no vote on the motion and debate would simply expire no later than shortly before the ordinary time of adjournment. If, on the allotted day, the motion were not put forward, the House would proceed to consideration of government supply business, but this is a hypothetical situation.

Sources cited

Standing Order 58(12).

References

Debates, June 26, 1973, pp. 5060-9.