Selected Decisions of Speaker James Jerome 1974-1979
Adjournment Motion Proposed under Standing Order 26 / Application Accepted
Urgent issue
Journals p.1036
Debates p. 11058
Background
Mr. Broadbent (Oshawa—Whitby) sought leave to move the adjournment of the House, under the provisions of Standing Order 26, in order to discuss the decision of the Canadian Labour Congress to withdraw from all areas of co-operation with the federal government in order to protest the acknowledged absence of the right to appeal under due process of law all judgments of the Anti-inflation Board and/or the administrator. The matter centered on a labour dispute with Irving Pulp and Paper about which the Chair had already turned down four requests for an emergency debate.
Issue
Does the application satisfy the provisions of Standing Order 26?
Decision
The application is accepted.
Reasons given by the Speaker
Previous motions on this issue had made reference to the necessity of amending the anti-inflation legislation. The Chair took the position that such amendments ought to be sought in other ways. Whatever the basis of the decision announced by the Canadian Labour Congress, its link to anti-inflation measures that are before the House in one way or another ties the issue to the jurisdiction of the House.
The matter is both important and urgent enough that Members should have the opportunity to express themselves in "advance of any further deliberations of such a serious move within the Canadian Labour Congress and in advance of any consultations which may take place between that important congress and this government".
References
Debates, December 4, 1975, p. 9715; February 11, 1976, pp. 10844-6; February 16, 1976, pp. 10963-4; February 17, 1976, pp. 11012-3.