Thanks again, Madam Chair.
The series of amendments to clause 38 will avoid the potential confusion created by the suggestion that the minister could simultaneously be a member of both the Commons and the Senate. So the amendments would also address the unique nature of the Senate, where committees are not automatically seized of anything, but act on direction of the Senate chamber as a whole.
So I'd like to introduce the amendment, Madam Chair, and propose that Bill C-36 in clause 38 be amended (a) by replacing in the English version lines 34 and 35 on page 20 with the following:
paragraph 37(1)(a), (b) or (c), the Minister shall cause the proposed regulation to be laid before each House.
That's the first part of the amendment. Then (b), we would be replacing line 37 on page 20 to line 6 on page 21 with the following:
(2) The proposed regulation may
--so here we are changing the word “shall” to “may”--
be referred to an appropriate committee of the Senate, as determined by its rules, which may review the proposed regulation and report its findings to the Senate.
(3) The proposed regulation shall be referred to the Standing Committee on Health of the House of Commons or, if there is not a Standing Committee on Health, the appropriate committee of the House of Commons, as determined by its rules, which may review the proposed regulation and report its findings to the House of Commons.
And then (c), we propose replacing in the English version line 10 on page 21 with the following:
tion is laid before both Houses of Parliament,
So we would be add “both Houses of Parliament”.
And (d), we propose replacing in the English version line 12 on page 21 with the following:
regulation is laid before both Houses of Parliament, and
and then (e), replacing line 20 on page 21 with the following:
Minister shall cause to be laid before that House a statement
and (f), replacing line 23 on page 21 with the following:
before both Houses of Parliament need not again be so laid prior
Then (g), we propose adding after line 25 on page 21 the following:
(7) For the purposes of subsection (4), “sitting day” means a day on which either House of Parliament sits.