Amendments to the Content of Bills / Report Stage

Equivalent to negative of bill

Journals p. 90

Debates pp. 1101-2

Background

On April 1, as the House proceeded to the report stage consideration of Bill C-5, an Act to authorize the provision of moneys to meet certain capital expenditures of the Canadian National Railways system and Air Canada ... , for the period from January 1, 1973, to June 30, 1974, the Chair expressed doubts on the admissibility of a motion in amendment in the name of Mr. MacKay (Central Nova), which proposed to substitute "the 1972 and 1973 fiscal years" with 'the 1972 fiscal year". When the motion was called the following day, the Chair heard Members' comments and ruled.

Issue

Can a motion in amendment negative the principle of the bill as determined by the House on second reading?

Decision

No. The motion in amendment is out of order.

Reasons given by the Deputy Speaker

Although it is possible to amend particular provisions in a bill to reduce the proposed expenditures, the motion in amendment proposed by the Member negatives the principle of the bill as determined by the House on second reading. "An amendment which is equivalent to a negative of a bill, or which would reverse the principle of a bill as agreed to on the second reading, is not admissible."

Sources cited

May, 18th ed., p. 509.

References

Journals, April 2, 1974, p. 89.

Debates, April 1, 1974, p. 1035 ; April 2, 1974, pp. 1099-101.