The Chair wishes to make a brief statement on the manner in which the secret ballot vote will be conducted on the designation of Bill C-421, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (adequate knowledge of French in Quebec).
The Chair wants to clarify some of the procedures to ensure that the proceedings unfold in an orderly fashion.
Members may obtain their ballot from the table officer seated on their side of the chamber. However, during routine proceedings, statements by members and question period, the ballots will be handed out in the hall behind the Speaker's chair.
Members will then be able to mark their ballots in secret at the two voting stations situated in the corridor behind the Speaker's chair. Completed ballots are to be deposited in the ballot box, which will be placed at the foot of the table during Routine Proceedings, Statements by Members and Oral Questions. The ballot box will be placed behind the Speaker's chair so as not to disrupt the proceedings in the chamber.
I trust this now clearly explains to all hon. members how proceedings will be conducted. Therefore, pursuant to Standing Order 92(4), I now direct that the vote on the designation of Bill C-421 commence.
The hon. member for Montcalm on a point of order.