Evidence of meeting #45 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was champion.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Clerk of the Committee  Mr. Andrew Lauzon
Dara Lithwick  Committee Researcher

11:30 a.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

11:30 a.m.

Liberal

Anita Vandenbeld Liberal Ottawa West—Nepean, ON

That's fine.

11:30 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

Topic 7 is take-note debates held at the call of the opposition: allow the official opposition to call two take-note debates in each session and allow the third party to call one take-note debate in each session.

Is no one championing it?

Mr. Davies.

11:30 a.m.

NDP

Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC

I'll champion that.

11:30 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

Topic 8 is take-note debates, decision to hold a debate: allow take-note debates to be held if a certain number of government and opposition members assent to the decision.

Mr. Davies approves, champions.

Now we're on table 4 on deletions (Standing Orders, Practices).

Topic 1 is debate on concurrence motion for a report from the joint committee for the scrutiny of regulations: delete Standing Order 128, which schedules a debate in the House, at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday following a notice of motion, to consider a report from the joint committee for the scrutiny of regulations.

Mr. Graham.

11:30 a.m.

Liberal

David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC

That's from my speech. I'm happy to defend it.

11:30 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

Topic 2 is first reading of a bill: cease the practice whereby the Speaker asks the House, “When shall this bill be read a second time?”

Is anyone championing that?

11:30 a.m.

Liberal

David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC

I will. It was in my speech.

11:30 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

Mr. Graham.

Topic 3 is the prayer: end the practice of reading the prayer to begin each sitting of the House. Alternately, it was suggested the word “amen” in the prayer could be changed to “thank you”.

11:30 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

Mr. Davies.

Topic 4 is private bills: delete chapter 15 in the Standing Orders, dealing with private bills (Standing Orders 129 to 147).

11:30 a.m.

Liberal

David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC

That was in my speech. I'll take it.

11:30 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

You're defending that.

11:30 a.m.

Liberal

David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC

I don't see a reason....

11:30 a.m.

Liberal

Anita Vandenbeld Liberal Ottawa West—Nepean, ON

That's not private members' bills.

11:30 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

No, it's not private members' bills.

11:30 a.m.

Liberal

David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC

No, it's not private members' bills. This is the C-1000s, which we haven't used for years. We still have it on the Senate side, so everybody goes to the Senate to do it anyway. We used it to build railways and canals. We don't do that much anymore.

11:30 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

Okay.

11:30 a.m.

Liberal

Arnold Chan Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON

It also allows you to—

11:30 a.m.

Liberal

David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC

We also used it to get divorces. That's how it used to work.

11:30 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

Topic 5 is strangers detained by the Sergeant-at-Arms: delete Standing Order 158, which permits the Sergeant-at-Arms to detain strangers who misconduct themselves in the House or gallery, and who may not be discharged without a Special Order from the House.

In the old days, they would put them in the jail in the basement. If it was just before the summer recess, they were stuck there all summer because the House had to let them go.

11:30 a.m.

Liberal

Anita Vandenbeld Liberal Ottawa West—Nepean, ON

Did that happen?

11:30 a.m.

Liberal

David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC

This came from my speech, but I didn't say to delete it. I said I wanted to understand how it worked. If we want to explore it, I'm happy to do it.

11:30 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

Okay, we'll help David.

11:30 a.m.

Liberal

David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC

I will bring it up, and we can shoot it down later.

11:30 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

We'll discuss it.