Procedure and House Affairs Committee on Dec. 8th, 2016

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

There's something similar to this, as I said in my speech, but it's not exactly this. It might be what it's from. The idea that I was proposing in my speech was this: Let's say a bill passes the House and goes to the Senate, and then there's dissolution. Why couldn't the Senate finish dealing with that? The Senate is not changing. That was my point. It wasn't to come back to the House; it was that the Senate finish it.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Private members' items.

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

Yes, exactly. On a private member's bill that goes to the Senate, and hasn't finished being dealt with in the Senate when the House dissolves, why shouldn't they be allowed to finish that, instead of having it go all the way back to the beginning?

[An hon. member]

Do you want to champion that one?

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

I will, on the understanding that's what I meant, not exactly what it says here.

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

And it is after dissolution, because right now it has stayed for the five years—

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

It's after dissolution. That's correct.

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

—or the four years, or however long the parliament lasts.

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

If you want to shoot it down later, that's fine.

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

Okay.

Topic 4 is guiding principle or goal of private members' business: allow each member to have one item of private members' business debated each parliament.

Mr. Davies.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

I'll champion that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

Topic 5 is on hours per week for private members' business: increase the number of hours per week dedicated to private members’ business. It was suggested that a parallel chamber could be used to increase the time available for private members business.

Anita.

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Yes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

Topic 6 is on the deadline for motions for the production of papers: establish a deadline of 180 days for papers to be tabled in the House.

Is there not a deadline now?

[Arnold Chan, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

Isn't it 120?

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

Is it 120?

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

Is there no champion for this?

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

I won't take that one.

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

Okay, we'll pass on that.

Topic 7 is on random draw—

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

[Inaudible—Editor]

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

Oh, Anita is doing topic 6. We're going back to six. Anita is championing it.

A slight problem with this process is that we all gave our speeches and we're going to choose the things that we spoke on, but the people in our caucuses who spoke we're eliminating their items.

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

We're still going to take it back to caucus.

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

Okay.

Topic 7 in table 7 is on a random draw held for returning members: devise a mechanism to give returning members priority over newly elected members on the list for consideration of private members’ business. It was suggested two random draws could be held: one for returning members and one for new members.

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

That's also mine. It's not exactly what I said.

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

It's returning members who haven't had a bill. Is that right?