moved for leave to introduce Bill C-277, an act to provide for the holding of citizen-initiated referenda on specific questions.
Mr. Speaker, this bill, which would provide for the holding of citizen-initiated referenda on specific topics, took about two and a half years to prepare during the last parliament.
I introduced it during the first session of this parliament. It was drawn but made non-votable and, therefore, I refused to have it debated. I have put it back into the system again to wait for my name to be drawn and, hopefully, next time it will be made votable.
The bill is constructed from the best experiences of California, other United States, and New Zealand, which has a similar democracy as our own and allows citizen-initiated referenda.
I hope this time around the committee will see fit to make it votable.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)