Evidence of meeting #55 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was questions.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Clerk of the House
As I understood it, the first intervention of Monsieur Guimond, Mr. Chairman, was to say that per Mr. Proulx's excellent suggestion the wording be changed so that it reads, “one of the independent members”—
Clerk of the House
—rather than “an independent member”, because that clarifies it. I think it makes it clearer.
With regard to the interpretation of the second section in this, Mr. Chairman, in the same way that the Standing Orders operate on a kind of common law basis, it's not said anywhere how the Speaker is to interpret these things. Every precedent we have would have us advising a Speaker that what this would mean is that you're not limited to the one. One would be your baseline, if you will.
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Goodyear
I'm looking at Mr. Guimond again, but I think we're going to give Mr. Guimond the last word.
Madame Picard, please.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Earlier, we were talking about political parties, including the Bloc Québecois. One must however remember that from 1993 to 1997, the NDP only had nine MPs. It was not recognized as an official party and its members were only entitled to two questions per week in the House of Commons. That was virtually a precedent.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Goodyear
I don't think it's going to affect that situation, because it would be a recognized party.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
I simply wanted to underscore the fact that a precedent had been established.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Goodyear
I think we're ready for the question on this motion. Are we ready for the question?
Colleagues, shall the Standing Orders be amended by adding the following, after Standing Order 31:
31.1(1) Only once a week, pursuant to Standing Order 31, the Speaker may recognize one of the independent Members.
(2) For the purposes of Standing Order 31.1(1), members of political parties not officially recognized in the House are not considered independent Members.
As well, the question is that the House of Commons Standing Orders be amended by adding the following after Standing Order 37(1):
37(1.1)(a) Only once a week, pursuant to Standing Order 37(1), the Speaker may recognize one of the independent Members.
(b) For the purposes of paragraph (a) of this Standing Order, members of political parties not officially recognized in the House are not considered independent Members.
(Motion agreed to)
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Goodyear
Colleagues, can I also have agreement that the clerk and the chair and researchers, etc., be authorized to make such grammatical and editorial changes as may be necessary, without changing the substance of the report?
Conservative
Bloc
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Goodyear
It will probably be tomorrow. It might be today after QP, but I'm going to suggest to you tomorrow. That's something I can more likely keep as a promise, and we like to keep those.
Do I have that permission?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Goodyear
Colleagues, I think that ends our business for today. We will set up as best we can on Thursday, just so that you know and as a reminder.
I want to thank our witnesses for coming. It's always helpful having you here.
We will be having witnesses on Thursday to deal with Bill C-54. As well, there will be time, hopefully, to deal with the subcommittee's report on the Conflict of Interest Code.
Is there any further business?
Seeing none, the meeting is adjourned.
