The Daily Program / Routine Proceedings

Paper petitions: paper of usual size

November 8, 2018

Debates, p. 23469

On October 29, 2018, Diane Finley (Haldimand—Norfolk) rose on a point of order regarding the rights of all Canadians to participate fully in Parliament’s paper petition process. Ms. Finley contended that the requirement that petitions be submitted on paper of the “usual size”, as required by the Standing Orders and interpreted as legal or letter-size paper, denies signatories with visual impairment fair and reasonable access to the paper petitions process. The Speaker took the matter under advisement. While she was on her feet, Ms. Finley sought and received unanimous consent to table a petition on ledger-sizer paper. The petition itself requested an amendment to Standing Order 36(1.1)(c) and the requirement that paper petitions be on paper of usual size.^[1]

Resolution

On November 8, 2018, the Speaker delivered his ruling. He noted that the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs had presented its 75th report to the House earlier the same day, which contained a recommendation for a change to Standing Order 36(1.1)(c) that addressed the issue raised by Ms. Finley.

Decision of the Chair

The Speaker: I am now prepared to rule on the point of order raised on October 29, 2018, by the hon. member for Haldimand—Norfolk concerning the right of all Canadians to petition Parliament. I would like to thank the member for having raised the matter.

During her intervention, the member for Haldimand—Norfolk explained that a paper petition that she received from constituents was not certified, a requirement before presenting it in the House. The objection was that the paper was not the “usual size”.

The current practice is that the petition should be legal or letter-size. She noted that the petition was on ledger-sized paper specifically to accommodate the signatories, each of whom has some degree of visual impairment, and that the petition itself seeks to amend the rule of the House, Standing Order 36(1.1)(c), dealing with this requirement for paper of usual size. This rule, she finds, denies to some fair and reasonable access to the paper petitions’ process.

As the member mentioned, she raised this subject a year ago, on October 24, 2017. At the time, I suggested that the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs consider this particular matter. The committee did just that on May 8 of this year, but no recommendation was brought forward to remedy the problem. However, the Chair is pleased to note that the committee did see fit to present its 75th report earlier today. In particular, it contains a recommended change to Standing Order 36(1.1)(c) that addresses the issue raised by the member for Haldimand—Norfolk.

I thank the hon. member and the committee for their efforts to better ensure the right of all Canadians to participate in the democratic process to the greatest extent possible.

I thank all honourable members for their attention.

Postscript

On November 29, 2018, the House concurred in the 75th Report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs. This had the effect of amending the Standing Orders to allow that paper petitions be no smaller than 14 cm x 21.5 cm and no larger than 28 cm x 43.25 cm.^[2]

Editor’s Note

Ms. Finley originally raised the issue regarding the interpretation of paper of usual size on October 24, 2017. At that time, the Speaker ruled that Ms. Finley’s petition did not meet the requirements under Standing Order 36(1.1)(c) but suggested that the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs consider the matter.^[3]