Selected Decisions of Speaker Lucien Lamoureux 1966 – 1974
Precedence and Sequence / Government Orders
Government Orders
Journals pp. 363-4
Debates pp. 3343-4
Background
As the House proceeded to Government Orders, specifically to a motion for second reading of Bill C-147, an Act to amend the Yukon Act, Mr. McIlraith (Minister of Public Works) moved that the House proceed to an order appearing under Private Members' Notices of Motions to continue debate on the abolition of the death penalty. Mr. Gregoire (Lapointe) rose on a point of order, claiming that such a procedure is contrary to the Standing Orders because it interferes with the precedence assigned to each item on the Order Paper. If the House agreed to the motion, it would first have to consider a number of items under Private Members' Notices of Motions preceding the one proposed by Mr. McIlraith. The Speaker heard Members' comments before ruling.
Issue
Is a motion acceptable that asks that the House move from an item under Government Orders to another item under a different heading on the Order Paper?
Decision
No. A motion for the suspension of the normal course of House business is a substantive motion which requires notice. [The Speaker then asked if there was unanimous consent of the House to debate the motion, but this was refused.]
Reasons given by the Speaker
Although the House may proceed from one item of business to another within the same type of order, Standing Orders do not allow a motion that the House move from an item in one type of order (in this case, Government Orders) to an item in a different type of order (in this case, Private Members' Business). Such a motion would attempt to suspend the normal course of House business, and thus is a substantive motion requiring notice.
Sources cited
Standing Orders 15, 18, 32(1) and 44.
Beauchesne, 4th ed., p. 11, c. 10.