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RPRD - Standing Committee

Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament

 

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

The Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament

has the honour to present its

SIXTH REPORT


Following the entry into force of the revised Rules of the Senate on September 17,  2012, your committee has, pursuant to rule 12 - 7(2)(a), continued to consider the Rules and now recommends as follows:

1. That:

(a) rule 4-3 be amended by replacing the current text by the following:

Tributes
4-3.  (1)  At the request of the Leader of the Government or the Leader of the Opposition, the period for Senators’ Statements shall be extended for the purpose of paying tribute to a current or former Senator.

Limits on Tributes
4-3.  (2)  Tributes to a current or former Senator shall be limited to three statements of five minutes each from Senators designated by the Senator to whom tributes are being given or, in the case of a former Senator, that former Senator or a representative.”;

No leave to extend Tributes
4-3.  (3)  No Senator shall seek leave to extend Tributes.

Acknowledgements of Tributes
4-3.  (4)  After Tributes are given to a current Senator, that Senator may speak, and the time for this acknowledgement shall be limited to no more than thirty minutes.

Inquiry for Tributes
4-3. (5) An inquiry allowing further tributes by other Senators may, without notice, be placed at the end of “Inquiries” on the Notice Paper for the same sitting at the request of any of the Leaders or Deputy Leaders. During this inquiry no Senator shall speak for more than three minutes.

Tributes in publications
4-3.  (6)   Tributes, including any acknowledgement, shall appear under the heading “Tributes” in the Journals of the Senate and the Debates of the Senate. Any inquiry for tributes pursuant to subsection (5) shall also appear with the same heading.

No bar to other tributes
4-3.  (7)  Nothing in this rule prevents tributes being offered to a current or former Senator, or any other person, by other means than through the period designated for Tributes.”; and

b) rule 5-6 be amended by replacing subsection (2) by the following:

Two days’ notice for inquiries

5-6. (2) Except as otherwise provided, two days’ notice is also required for an inquiry.

EXCEPTION

Rule 4-3(5): Inquiry for Tributes ”; and

2. That all cross references in the Rules, including the lists of exceptions, be updated accordingly.

Respectfully submitted,

DAVID SMITH

Chair


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