Procedure and House Affairs Committee on Oct. 18th, 2018

[John Nater, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

I'll present it and then I'll also introduce a subamendment to clarify it based on the coming into force of an upcoming bill currently before the Senate.

The CPC subamendment would read that amendment CPC-192 be amended by (a) replacing the words “replacing lines 1 to” with the words “adding after line”; (b) replacing the words “376 Schedule” with the words “(2) Schedule”; and (c) deleting all the words after the words “Cold Lake”.

I'll pass this around for clarity's sake. It has to deal with the fact that Bill....

Oh, sorry. Go ahead.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Isn't there already a process to change riding names? I'm trying to get some clarity on this.

[John Nater, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

That's what's being caught in this. That's why the subamendment is being presented.

First of all, this is coordinating with amendment CPC-199, which makes it reflective of Bill C-402.

These are the only two ridings in that schedule that would be affected by Bill C-402 with a name change. The various schedules list various ridings that can be affected, based on size and geography. These two riding names need to be changed based on what's currently within that schedule.

Bill C-402 will change the riding names. This bill isn't currently showing the change, so we have to make the change to reflect that, if that makes sense.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

No, not at all.

Has the other one already passed?

[John Nater, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

It's currently before the Senate, so it will pass.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Then we can't change this in advance of that.

[John Nater, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

That's why the subamendment does.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Are there any comments from the officials, who look as confused as I do?

[John Nater, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

Amendment CPC-199 does this to coordinate with Bill C-402. It corrects the set schedule in this act.

But I'm happy for the officials to have a word.

[LCdr Jean-François Morin]

Just to confirm, Mr. Nater, the effect of this motion would be to revert back to status quo upon...?

[John Nater, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

No, it would be to change it to the new names of the electoral districts. Amendment CPC-199 is contingent on Bill C-402's receiving royal assent and officially making those name changes.

[Trevor Knight]

As I understand it, then, schedule 3 would be updated, if Bill C-402 passes, upon the first dissolution of Parliament after Bill C-402 passes, to reflect the names in Bill C-402.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Shouldn't that be part of the process of Bill C-402 at the Senate, rather than here?

[John Nater, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

Are you saying it should be done with Bill C-402?

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

If the Senate currently has Bill C-402, shouldn't it be changed there? This is just a weird thing that I don't get.

[John Nater, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

I didn't introduce Bill C-402. That was Mr. Rodriguez.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

That's fair.

[John Nater, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

I think that train has left the station, though. It's already in the Senate. We're not going to get the chance to get back to it.

Just as an example of this, “Western Arctic” was changed in the previous name change bill in 2014 and was never actually changed in this one. That's why that one is not included in the first two, but it nonetheless needs to be changed as well.

[Trevor Knight]

Just to provide some context on our reading of schedule 3—because schedule 3 can only be changed by statute—schedule 3 sets out the ridings, saying that you need 50 signatures from electors rather than 100 signatures from electors.

In a case in which a name is changed by an act of Parliament but schedule 3 is not updated, we just read schedule 3 via the new name. To reassure people, even if the name in schedule 3 is not the current updated name, we will still read it as if it were.

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

That is so whether or not this passes, but if it passes, that would be better.

[Trevor Knight]

It would certainly be clearer. But yes, we would continue to read the ridings as if they had the name at the 2013 representation order.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Does this fall under the commissioner's going after crimes that haven't taken place yet?

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

Does everyone understand? We're just changing electoral names that have already been changed, for clarity.

There's a subamendment to amendment CPC-192. It's CPC-192-A. Someone has to propose it other than Mr. Nater.

[John Nater, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

I think Mr. Reid is eager to do that.

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, ON]

Which one am I eager to do?