Evidence of meeting #94 for Finance in the 44th 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.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca
(Ruling of the chair sustained: yeas 6; nays 5)
(Clauses 245 and 246 agreed to: yeas 6; nays 5)
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca
This is CPC-17, clause 247. I have a ruling.
Bill C-47 amends several acts, including the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act. The amendment seeks to remove subsections 6(8) to 6(10) of the act from the calculation of the fiscal stabilization payment that may be paid to a province for a fiscal year, which could result in an increase of payment out of the consolidated revenue fund.
Conservative
Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON
Mr. Chair, I have a point of order.
Conservative
Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON
Could you please slow down for the sake of the interpreters, as well as for my sake? You're speed-reading through that.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca
Okay. I hope everybody has the bill in front of them, but I will slow down.
As House of Commons Procedure and Practice, third edition, states on page 772:
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, the amendment proposes a new scheme, which could impose additional charges on the public treasury. Therefore, I rule the amendment inadmissible.
Conservative
Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON
Would the chair permit a challenge to the chair in this scenario? Is this one that you'll accept?
Liberal
Conservative
Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON
This is one challenge to the chair that the chair will accept, so I will challenge the chair.
(Ruling of the chair sustained: yeas 6; nays 5)
(Clauses 247 and 248 agreed to: yeas 6; nays 5)
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca
On new clause 248.1, shall CPC-18 carry?
(Amendment agreed to: yeas 6; nays 5 [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca
On CPC-19, I do have a ruling.
Bill C-47 amends several acts, including the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act. The amendment seeks to make an amendment to the title of this act, referenced in numerous other acts.
As House of Commons Procedure and Practice, third edition, states on page 775, “Titles, whether it be the long, short or alternative title, may be amended only if the bill has been so altered as to necessitate such an amendment.”
In the opinion of the chair, no amendment has been made to the bill that would necessitate a change to the title of the act. Therefore, I rule the amendment inadmissible.
Conservative
Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON
Mr. Chair, with great respect, could we please challenge your ruling?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca
There's a challenge, Mr. Clerk.
(Ruling of the chair sustained: yeas 6; nays 5)
We're going to suspend for 30 seconds.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca
We're back.
Members, at clause 249, you'll see next that there's amendment CPC-20. CPC-20 can be moved only if amendment CPC-16, on page 26 of the package, has been adopted, since the amendment refers to new clauses 244.1 and 244.2, which would have been created by amendment CPC-16.
Since that did not happen, we are now moving to—
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca
There's a challenge to that.
I'll explain it one more time, if you would like.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca
Amendment CPC-20 can be moved only if amendment CPC-16, which is on page 26 of the package, has been adopted. That was not the case. Since the amendment refers to proposed clauses 244.1 and 244.2, which would have been created by amendment CPC-16, we will not be voting on amendment CPC-20. We will jump over that.
There's been a challenge.
(Ruling of the chair sustained: yeas 7; nays 4)
(Clause 249 agreed to: yeas 6; nays 5)
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca
We're on clause 250.
Shall CPC-21 carry?
(Amendment negatived: nays 7; yeas 4 [See Minutes of Proceedings])
(Clauses 250 and 251 agreed to: yeas 6; nays 5)
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca
We're on division 10, “Economic Sanctions”.
Shall clause 252 carry?
(Clause 252 agreed to: yeas 11; nays 0)
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca
Members, I'll just test the waters.
For clauses 253 to 264, there are no amendments. Would members like to try for unanimous consent to group those?
Conservative
Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON
I believe it is important to vote, and I also believe there's no debate, Mr. Chair, so I'm not sure you're in order.
Liberal
Conservative
Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON
You have a very wide definition of debate.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca
Okay, MP Lawrence.
We will move forward.
(Clauses 253 to 264 inclusive agreed to: yeas 11; nays 0)