Amendments to the Content of Bills / Report Stage

Dealing with several clauses

Journals p. 1218

Debates p. 10497

Background

During consideration at report stage of Bill C-120, an Act respecting the status of the official languages of Canada, Mr. McQuaid (Cardigan) made a motion in amendment to three clauses of the bill. The motion was debated and rejected by the House when put to a vote. Prior to the recorded division, but following debate and voice vote on the motion, the Chair made a statement on the merits of the motion in amendment.

Issue

ls a motion dealing with a number of clauses in a bill in order at report stage?

Decision

No. At report stage, every provision of a bill may be isolated and dealt with directly, and each motion in amendment should be concerned with one specific clause of the bill rather than a number of clauses.

Reasons given by the Speaker

The Member's motion contravenes the principle that every provision may be isolated and dealt with directly at report stage. A complex motion dealing with several clauses of a bill inevitably leads to complicated amendments which only confuse and obscure the question being considered. The motion should have been divided into three rather than being directed at several clauses. This point is being raised now in order "to protect the position of the Chair if on other occasions, motions proposed at the report stage of this nature are advanced ... "

References

Journals, June 20, 1969, pp. 1216-8.

Debates, June 18, 1969, pp. 10346-68; June 20, 1969, pp. 10494-7.