Bill C-443 (Historical)
An Act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act and the Canada Elections Act
This bill was last introduced in the 38th Parliament, 1st Session, which ended in November 2005.
Sponsor
Loyola Hearn Conservative
Introduced as a private member’s bill. (These don’t often become law.)
Status
Introduction and First Reading
(This bill did not become law.)
Elsewhere
All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, provided by the Library of Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.
Parliament of Canada Act
Routine Proceedings
November 14th, 2005 / 3:10 p.m.
See
context
Conservative
Loyola Hearn St. John's South, NL
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-443, An Act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act and the Canada Elections Act.
Mr. Speaker, this bill would require the holding of a byelection within 90 days of a vacancy occurring in the membership of the House of Commons through a resignation or the death of a member.
Section 3 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees that every citizen of Canada has the right to vote in the election of members of the House of Commons. That right, however, can be held in abeyance by the Prime Minister's ability to delay calling a byelection for as long as a year. Many thousands of Canadians are thus left with no representation in Parliament. This bill would put the democratic right of Canadians ahead of prime ministerial game playing.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)