Evidence of meeting #13 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
Tom Lukiwski Conservative Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK
Yes, I would just point out that the timelines contained in the bill are minimums, not maximums, so they can certainly be expanded. They can be moved forward if they wished. That's why we're comfortable with the wording of this clause.
11:30 a.m.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
Mr. Chair, I appreciate the comment back. Our concern is, though, that without the guarantee that it'll be given—I understand it's even interpreted loosely and we've had testimony to that effect. Nonetheless, when the crunch comes, we all know around this table that what matters is what's in the law.
If someone has been denied natural justice, but the powers that be can point to wording in the laws that say you're out of luck, then you're out of luck.
So with the greatest of respect to my colleagues on the government benches and to witnesses who said there's latitude, we would feel a lot more comfortable—given that this is a protection for the public to have their say on their House—if we could see that protection built into the law rather than being left to the vagaries of various one-off decisions.
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
Okay. Is there further discussion on amendment NDP-3? Seeing none, I'll call the question.
(Amendment negatived)
We'll go to amendment NDP-4.
Mr. Christopherson.
11:30 a.m.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
Yes, I'm trying to catch up with you, Chair.
I move that Bill C-20 in clause 8 be amended by replacing line 28 on page 6 with the following:
secretary of the commission within 67 days after
They are the same arguments, Chair.
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
Discussion?
Seeing none, we'll vote on amendment NDP-4.
(Amendment negatived)
(Clauses 8 to 23 inclusive agreed to on division)
Shall the short title carry?
11:30 a.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
It's on division.
We're in the preamble, and we have amendment NDP-1.
11:30 a.m.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
I'm going to see how far I'm going to get here while you're shuffling papers.
I move that Bill C-20 in the preamble be amended (a) by replacing in the English version, line 10 on page 2 with the following:
Whereas the Constitution Act, 1985
and (b) by adding after line 17 on page 2 the following:
Whereas the House of Commons, on November 27, 2006, adopted a motion recognizing that “the Québécois form a nation within a united Canada”;
And whereas the proportion of members from the Province of Quebec in the House of Commons must therefore remain unchanged from the representation that it had when the motion was adopted on November 27, 2006;
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
Mr. Christopherson, the amendment seeks to make a substantive modification by adding new elements to the preamble. The House of Commons Procedure and Practice, second edition, on page 770 states:
In the case of a bill that has been referred to a committee after second reading, a substantive amendment to the preamble is admissible only if it is rendered necessary by amendments made to the bill. In addition, an amendment to the preamble is in order when its purpose is to clarify it or to ensure the uniformity of the English and French versions.
In the opinion of the chair, the proposed amendment is substantive and therefore inadmissible.
11:35 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
We'd better cover that off first.
(Ruling of the chair sustained [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Shall the preamble carry?
11:35 a.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
11:35 a.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
11:35 a.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
11:35 a.m.
Conservative
11:35 a.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
11:35 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
It's on division.
We don't need to order a reprint of the bill because we haven't amended it.
That is our work on Bill C-20.
11:35 a.m.
Some hon. members
Hear, hear!
11:35 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
Is there anything else for the good of this committee today?
Then the meeting is adjourned.