Procedure and House Affairs committee  It really depends on how the standing orders of other jurisdictions are written, whether there is a need to revamp them. Scotland, I know, does several editions of their standing orders virtually every year, and they're becoming quite complex. They may have to go back and change them, simply because they're always adjusting.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. When I became the Clerk in 2017, one of my goals was to unify the administration as one entity serving the members. In terms of procedural services, one way to proactively support the needs of the members was to review the Standing Orders. From my reading, I found them overly complex and not really accessible to members and their staff.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  But they're not—

Procedure and House Affairs committee  The lay members would not necessarily be permanent.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Yes.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I think, again, the opportunity for you to be as inventive as you want is limited only by your imagination.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Well, set goals that you think are structured in a way that your imagination and those goals harmonize. If you think, for example, that it might be useful to have some sort of association with the Senate, then that's an option. Dealing with private member's business, let's say that as long as a bill reached a certain stage, either in the House or in the Senate, proving that it had at least a level of acceptability, then you can in those circumstances, rather than allow the bill to go to committee for a study, let it go to the parallel committee composed of members of both Houses, and that can be used as a way to advance the consideration of that bill in whatever second chamber is to be studying the bill after it passes the House.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  It's something you'd have to study to make sure you have all of the mechanics properly spelled out and understood, so that option becomes.... But, as Ms. Duncan points out, the witnesses would be your lay members.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I think there are political considerations that come into any review of what is possible, and that's what you have to decide, but I believe Mr. Reid mentioned this issue of programming motions. They have existed in the United Kingdom for the last 20 years. They were deeply resisted when they were first introduced, and now they're taken to be part of the daily routine of the life of a member.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Thank you very much for the opportunity to speak to you.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Again, I think it depends on the hours. I think that if the parallel chamber is sitting, some committees may not be sitting, so I think we could probably come up with the resources.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  There are about 90.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  It's a non-parliamentarian.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Right.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I think it becomes really like a committee of the whole.