Amendments to the Content of Bills / Report Stage

Report stage of private bills, motions in amendment

Journals p. 1070

Debates pp. 11295-6

Background

When, during private Members' hour, the House was considering the report stage of Bill S-30, an Act to incorporate Continental Bank of Canada, Mr. Lambert (Edmonton West) raised a point of order questioning the acceptability of certain motions placed on the Order Paper by Mr. Saltsman (Waterloo—Cambridge) because they were put forward according to Standing Order 75(5), which pertains to public bills, rather than Standing Order 109, which applies to private bills.

Issue

Does the procedure prescribed by Standing Order 75 respecting motions moved in amendment at the report stage consideration of public bills also apply to private bills?

Decision

Yes.

Reasons given by the Speaker

There is no specific provision in the Standing Order which provides for the regular and orderly dealing with private bills at Report Stage. It is done by virtue of the fact that all those rules which apply to public bills have to apply to private bills as well, according to Standing Order 116.

Standing Order 109 requires 24 hours notice for an amendment. It is exactly identical to the notice requirement in respect of a report stage amendment and is scarcely a departure from the Standing Orders as they relate to report stage amendments.

Authorities cited

Standing Orders 75, 109, 116.

References

Debates, February 26, 1976, pp. 11291-5.