Consideration of Motions in a Committee of the Whole

Although the House now resolves itself into a Committee of the Whole primarily to study main estimates, to hold take-note debates and occasionally to consider legislation, Committees of the Whole have examined other matters, such as motions, resolutions and addresses.189 Indeed, the potential mandate of a Committee of the Whole is virtually unlimited as it may consider any substantive motion, with the exception of motions particular to take-note debates,190 which the House chooses to refer to it.191 In the past, the Committee’s consideration of matters other than legislation was largely limited to resolutions preceding bills involving the expenditure of public funds or the imposition of a public tax, but other matters have also been debated in a Committee of the Whole.192

When a motion or resolution, other than a motion or resolution involving a take-note debate, is referred to a Committee of the Whole for consideration, the Chair proposes the motion or resolution and asks the Committee if it wishes to agree to it.193 The mover of the resolution or motion opens the debate and other Members then rise to participate in the debate and to ask questions. The rules of debate are the same as those that apply in a Committee of the Whole for the consideration of legislation: the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition have unlimited speaking time, and Members have 20 minutes. Amendments may be moved to the main motion, with possible subamendments.

At the conclusion of debate, the Chair puts the question on the resolution or motion. If agreed to, the Chair requests leave to report the resolution or motion to the House. If leave is granted, the Chair rises; the Mace is placed back on the Table; the Speaker takes the Chair, and the Chair reports the resolution or motion.194

Should a Committee of the Whole report the adoption of a motion or a resolution, the Speaker immediately puts the question to concur in the motion or resolution without debate or amendment.195 If the House agrees to the concurrence motion, it expresses its support for the content of the resolution or motion; if not, the House withholds its support.