Adjournment Motion Proposed under Standing Order 26 / Application Not Accepted

Issue not urgent; other opportunity for debate

Debates pp. 1051-2

Background

Mr. Lawrence (Northumberland—Durham) sought leave to move the adjournment of the House, under the provisions of Standing Order 26, for the purpose of discussing Petro-Canada's decision to buy 48 per cent of the shares in Pacific Petroleum Ltd. of Calgary.

Issue

Does the application satisfy the provisions of Standing Order 26?

Decision

The application is rejected.

Reasons given by the Speaker

The matter must be more than simply urgency of consideration: there must be an element of genuine emergency. "[A] transaction which ... appears to be within the normal orbit of the purpose for which this Crown corporation was set up in the first place" cannot be regarded as a true emergency.

In addition, the Members of the House will have other occasions to debate the matter, either by questioning the Minister responsible or by speaking in a budget debate or during Question Period.