Amendments to the Content of Bills / Report Stage

April 30, 1985

Debates pp. 4231-2

When the House proceeded to the report stage of Bill C-15 (Investment Canada Act) on April 23, 1985, the Speaker made a preliminary statement regarding the procedural acceptability of several motions, and invited comments from the Members before making a final ruling. In particular, the Speaker suggested that Motion No. 22, standing in the name of Mr. Langdon (Essex—Windsor), would infringe on the financial initiative of the Crown and went beyond the scope of the clause it sought to amend. Mr. Langdon argued that the clause already provided for the appointment of a president of the review agency, while the amendment only added a board of directors, and no additional costs need be entailed since the moneys allotted for the president's remuneration could be used to cover both the president and the part-time board members. Mr. Hnatyshyn (President of the Privy Council) replied that no board of directors was contemplated by the bill, and that they would incur expenses.

Issue

Is it in order to amend the bill to provide for the appointment of a president and a board of directors instead of a president alone?

Decision

No. The proposed amendment cannot be moved.

Reasons given by the Speaker

While the suggestion that the specific allocation of money for a president be divided between part-time directors and the full-time president, thereby leading to no extra charge on the Treasury, is an original approach, the Chair must rule that the motion infringes on the financial in initiative of the Crown.