Mr. Chair, I do have a point of order that is basically in the form of a question to the clerk of the committee.
I've had an opportunity to go through the government amendments to this bill. Given the very extensive changes, I wonder whether the clerk has assured the chair that the amendments are in order and do not create a bill substantially different from the bill that was passed at second reading. I submit they do. I'll refer to page 1197 of O'Brien and Bosc, which states:
The amendments made to a private bill by a committee ought not to be so extensive as to constitute a different bill from that which has been read a second time.
I would submit that I believe they do. Having said that, I'm basically asking the clerk to give us the assurance that at least he believes the amendments to Bill C-483, if passed, would not result in a substantially different bill from that which the House approved at second reading.
I will state this as well. It is my intention, regardless of what the clerk states, that if these amendments are in fact approved, to pursue the matter with the Speaker of the House when the bill is reported to the House. Therefore, I want the record of the committee to be clear on this point as to whether the amendments from the government, if approved, will or will not, in the opinion of the clerk, constitute a bill different from that which was approved at second reading.
There's no question, in my mind, Mr. Chair, that the amendments improve the bill substantially from what the bill was, but that's not the point here. The point is that this is a different bill. The committee knows I have concerns about some of these private members' bills and the number of amendments we're getting from the government side.
I'll conclude, Mr. Chair, by saying that if the clerk has any question as to whether these amendments, if passed, would constitute Bill C-483 having been so altered as to constitute a new bill as outlined in O'Brien and Bosc, it is my opinion that the clerk should so advise the chair and that as a result, a new bill would have to be brought in.
If you go through these amendments, Mr. Chair, there is no question in my mind. Number one, as I stated previously, this bill may require a royal prerogative in that it constitutes substantial spending other than what would otherwise be the case, and it changes, in my view, the intent of the bill.
That's my point of order, Mr. Chair. I'd like to hear what the clerk has recommended.