Amendments to Motions on Progress of Bills / Third Reading

Recommittal; beyond scope of bill

Journals pp. 969-70

Debates pp. 7901-2

Background

During debate on the motion for third reading of Bill C-202, an Act to prevent pollution of areas of the arctic waters adjacent to the mainland and islands of the Canadian Arctic, Mr. Baldwin (Peace River) proposed that the bill be recommitted to the Standing Committee on Indian Affairs and Northern Development with an instruction to amend the bill by adding a new clause respecting sovereignty over the Arctic. The Speaker expressed some reservations concerning the acceptability of the proposed amendment and, after hearing procedural arguments, made a ruling.

Issue

Can an amendment at third reading instruct a committee to add a clause to a bill?

Decision

No. The amendment cannot be allowed at this stage.

Reasons given by the Speaker

The amendment seeks to introduce a new declaration of principle, thereby going beyond the terms of the bill, and is a new proposition. Amendments at third reading cannot deal with any matter which is not contained in the bill.

Sources cited

Journals, June 4, 1970, pp. 937-8.

Beauchesne, 4th ed., p. 288, c. 418.

May, 17th ed., p. 572.

References

Debates, June 9, 1970, pp. 7896-901.