Bill C-569 (Historical)

Governor General Appointment and Removal Procedure Act

An Act respecting the procedure for the appointment and removal of the Governor General

This bill was last introduced in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session, which ended in August 2015.

Sponsor

Scott Reid  Conservative

Introduced as a private member’s bill. (These don’t often become law.)

Status

Outside the Order of Precedence (a private member's bill that hasn't yet won the draw that determines which private member's bills can be debated), as of Jan. 29, 2014
(This bill did not become law.)

Summary

This is from the published bill. The Library of Parliament often publishes better independent summaries.

This enactment sets out the procedure to be followed in the appointment and removal of the Governor General.

Elsewhere

All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from the Library of Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.

Governor General Appointment and Removal Procedure ActRoutine Proceedings

January 29th, 2014 / 3:10 p.m.


See context

Conservative

Scott Reid Conservative Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, ON

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-569, An Act respecting the procedure for the appointment and removal of the Governor General.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation attempts to establish rules governing the manner in which a Governor General is appointed and might be dismissed.

Constitutionally these powers belong to the Queen, but in practice and by convention they are exercised on the advice of the Prime Minister. This places a vital power in a position to be exercised far too casually.

This problem was addressed by the creation of an advisory committee to make recommendations as to candidates for the position of Governor General. In its first ever recommendation, the advisory council's advice resulted in the Prime Minister advising Her Majesty to appoint the Right Hon. David Johnston to this post.

The bill attempts to entrench this very successful mechanism in law, requiring the participation of opposition leaders, or alternatively of the House itself, prior to the submission of advice to Her Majesty as to the appointment of a Governor General and, as well, with regard to advice to Her Majesty as to the dismissal of a Governor General.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)