Thank you, Ms. Nash.
I have a ruling on NDP-44.
Bill C-38 amends the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act to provide for the Canada health transfer growing at 6% for 2014-15, 2015-16, and 2017 and then growing in line with the equalization-sustainable growth track, which is based on a three-year moving average of nominal gross domestic product growth, starting in 2017-18.
The amendment seeks to amend the bill so that after March 31, 2014, the transfer formula will be “negotiated between the federal government and the government of each province and territory, in meetings that must begin within 90 days after this act receives royal assent”.
House of Commons Procedure and Practice, Second Edition, states at pages 767-768:
Since an amendment may not infringe upon the financial initiative of the crown, it is inadmissible if it imposes a charge on the public treasury, or if it extends the objects or purposes or relaxes the conditions and qualifications specified in the royal recommendation.
In the opinion of the chair, therefore, the amendment proposes a new scheme that seeks to alter the terms and conditions of the royal recommendation. Therefore, I rule the amendment inadmissible.
(Clause 393 agreed to on division)
(Clauses 394 to 410 inclusive agreed to on division)
We have the next amendment, which proposes a new clause. This is amendment Liberal-6, and I ask Mr. Brison to move it.