Amendments to the Content of Bills / Report Stage

Notice requirement

Debates p. 10887

Background

During consideration at report stage of Bill C-176, an Act to establish the National Farm Products Marketing Council ..., Mr. Olson (Minister of Agriculture) raised a point of order to propose "two very minor and inconsequential housekeeping amendments". The first was to correct the number given to a section cited from another act; the section was the correct one, but its number had been changed. The second amendment was to delete a clause intended to coordinate the bill with the Revised Statutes of Canada: these statutes had been proclaimed recently and the clause no longer applied. After hearing several comments, the Chair ruled.

Issue

Can a Minister propose amendments to a bill without notice?

Decision

In this case, no. [The unanimous consent necessary to allow the amendments was denied.]

Reasons given by the Deputy Speaker

A Minister may propose an amendment without notice to the form of a government bill only if the Speaker can be convinced that the proposed changes stem from the acceptance of other amendments at this stage. Consequently, it is possible to propose these amendments without notice only by unanimous consent.

Sources cited

Standing Order 75(7).

References

Debates, December 30, 1971, pp. 10886-7.