I am sure the hon. member is aware that virtually any motion, except I believe an adjournment motion, put to the House is amendable. There may be a few others that are listed in the standing orders that are not but there are not many.
A motion, even on a take note debate, it seems to me is an amendable motion. It may be that the question is not put but that is in accordance with the rule adopted by the House in relation to this debate. Accordingly amendments are amendments. As long as they are relevant to the main motion and do not contradict the main motion and as long as they are not repugnant to it generally they are ruled to be in order.
There is nothing offensive in the wording that has been proposed by the hon. member for Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough or by the Leader of the Opposition in his amendment. There is nothing contrary or repugnant to the main motion. They seek to amend it and clarify its terms. Accordingly the Chair has held them to be in order.
I will not cite an authority without looking for the hon. member, but I am sure if he looks at his standing orders and at Beauchesne's he will discover there is plenty of authority for amendments to motions. Indeed it is common practice.