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

Issue 2 - Minutes of Proceedings - May 13, 2014

OTTAWA, Tuesday, May 13, 2014
(6)

[English]

The Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament met this day at 9:30 a.m., in room 356- S, Centre Block, the chair, the Honourable Vernon White, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Cools, Doyle, Enverga, Jaffer, McIntyre, Nolin, Smith, P.C. (Cobourg), Unger, Wells and White (10).

In attendance: Sebastian Spano, Analyst, Parliamentary Information and Research Service, Library of Parliament.

Also in attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.

The Honourable Senator Nolin presented the following:

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

The Subcommittee on Broadcasting has the honour to present its

FIRST REPORT

Your subcommittee has, pursuant to the order of the committee of February 11, 2014, begun its work and now recommends that the committee report to the Senate with the following recommendation:

That the Rules of the Senate be amended by:

1. adding the following new rule 6-13 immediately after current rule 6-12:

"Terminating Debate on Item of Other Business

Motion that item of Other Business be not further adjourned

6-13. (1) A motion that an item of Other Business be not further adjourned may be moved when the item is called, provided that the item has been both:

(a) called for consideration at least fifteen times; and

(b) debated for a cumulative total of at least three hours.

Who may move motion

6-13. (2) This motion may only be moved by:

(a) the sponsor or critic of a bill;

(b) the senator who moved a substantive motion; or

(c) the senator who moved the adoption of a committee report.

Motion put immediately

(3) The motion that the item be not further adjourned shall be put immediately, without debate or amendment.

Rejection of motion

(4) If this motion is rejected, a similar motion shall not be moved again until both:

(a) the item has been called for consideration at least a further fifteen times; and

(b) there has been a cumulative total of at least three additional hours of debate.

Adoption of motion

(5) If the motion is adopted:

(a) the debate on the item of Other Business shall not be adjourned;

(b) no amendment or other motion relating to the item of Other Business shall be received, except that a certain Senator be now heard or do now speak;

(c) the Senate shall continue sitting beyond the ordinary time of adjournment until debate on the item of Other Business has concluded; and

(d) immediately after any interruption due to a case of privilege, emergency debate, question of privilege, or the evening suspension at 6 p.m., debate on the item of Other Business shall resume.

Vote on main motion

(6) The normal rules governing the taking of the vote shall apply once debate on the main motion concludes.

If vote not on main motion

(7) If debate was not on the main motion, when that debate concludes:

(a) if a standing vote is requested the ordinary procedure for determining the duration of the bells shall apply;

(b) the vote shall not be deferred;

(c) after the vote, debate on the item of Other Business shall continue pursuant to this rule; and

(d) this process shall continue until the conclusion of debate on the item of Other Business.''; and

2. renumbering current rule 6-13 as 6-14; and updating all cross references in the Rules, including the lists of exceptions, accordingly.

Respectfully submitted,

PIERRE CLAUDE NOLIN

Chair

The committee considered the report of the subcommittee.

After debate, it was agreed that further consideration of the report of the subcommittee be adjourned to the next meeting of the committee

The committee considered its business.

At 9:50 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Till Heyde

Acting Clerk of the Committee