Thank you for that.
Part 1 of Bill C-30 does deal with amendments to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. The amendment proposes a new section that gives the Governor in Council the authority to establish a greenhouse gas reduction transition fund to provide assistance in the form of grants to affected workers and communities.
The bill was referred to committee before second reading, which means there is more latitude in the amending process. The requirement that amendments must fall within the scope of the bill does not apply to bills referred before second reading. However, other rules of admissibility do apply. The rule against infringing on the financial initiative of the Crown is one of those.
You've heard this before. It's expressed on page 655 of Marleau and Montpetit:
An amendment must not offend the financial initiative of the Crown. An amendment is therefore inadmissible if it imposes a charge on the Public Treasury, or if it extends the objects or purposes or relaxes the conditions and qualifications as expressed in the Royal Recommendation.
The one referred to, referred to elements of a plan. In my view, this one refers to direct spending by the government. To me it's clear that by proposing to establish a new fund for the provision of grants, the amendment is increasing the charge on the Public Treasury and it would require a royal recommendation. Therefore, I find that the amendment infringes on the financial initiative of the Crown. On that basis I will rule it inadmissible.
Shall we move on?
We'll move on to amendment NDP-15.3.
Mr. Cullen, are you prepared to move NDP-15.3?