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

Issue 3 - Third Report of the Committee

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

The Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament has the honour to present its

THIRD 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 rule 2-7 be amended by the addition of the new subsection (6) as follows:

"Speaker may leave the chair

2-7. (6) When the sitting is suspended or the bells are ringing, the Speaker may leave the chair for the duration of the suspension or the bells.'';

2. That rule 12-3 be amended by replacing subsection (2) by the following:

"Committee membership — certain committees

12-3. (2) The number of members appointed to the following standing committees shall be as indicated:

(a) the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, 15 Senators;

(b) the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament, 15 Senators;

(c) the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages, nine Senators;

(d) the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights, nine Senators;

(e) the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence, nine Senators; and

(f) the Standing Committee on Conflict of Interest for Senators, five Senators.'';

3. That rule 12-22 be amended by replacing subsection (5) by the following:

"Reports on user fees

12-22. (5) If a user fee proposal has been referred to a properly appointed and constituted committee, and that committee does not report within 20 sitting days following the day it received the order of reference, it shall be deemed to have recommended approval of the user fee.

REFERENCE

User Fees Act, subsection 6(2)''; and

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

Respectfully submitted,

DAVID SMITH

Chair