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Committee of Selection
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Appointment of Committee of Selection |
12-1. At the beginning of each session, the Senate shall appoint a Committee of Selection composed of nine Senators. The initial membership of the committee, as well as any subsequent change to the membership of the committee, shall, as nearly as practicable, be proportionate to the membership of the recognized parties and recognized parliamentary groups. Senators who are not members of such a party or group shall, for this purpose only, be treated as if they were members of a separate group. For greater certainty, the ex officio members of the committee shall not be taken into account when considering proportionality.
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Nomination of Speaker pro tempore |
12-2. (1)(a) Within the first five sitting days of each session, the Committee of Selection shall present a separate report on its nomination of the Speaker pro tempore. |
Term of appointment of Speaker pro tempore
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12-2. (1)(b) Once the report is adopted by the Senate, the Speaker pro tempore shall serve for the duration of the session.
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Nomination of standing or standing joint committee members
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12-2. (2) Except as otherwise provided, the Committee of Selection shall present a report on its nomination of Senators to serve on the standing committees and the standing joint committees.
EXCEPTION Rule 12-27(1): Appointment of committee
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Term of appointment of members of committees
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12-2. (3) Except as otherwise provided, once the report is adopted by the Senate, Senators appointed to the standing committees and the standing joint committees shall serve for the duration of the session.
EXCEPTION Rule 12-5: Membership changes
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Powers of the Committee of Selection
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12-2. (4) The Committee of Selection is empowered to inquire into and report on any other matter referred to it by the Senate, and also has the power to:
(a) to publish from day to day such papers and evidence as may be ordered by it; and (b) to propose to the Senate from time to time changes in the membership of a committee.
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Committee of Selection is neither a standing nor special committee
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12-2. (5) For greater certainty, the Committee of Selection is neither a standing nor a special committee.
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Quorum of Committee of Selection
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12-2. (6) The quorum of the Committee of Selection shall be six of its members.
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Membership of Committees
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Committee membership – general
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12-3. (1) Except as provided in subsections (2) and (3), twelve members shall be appointed to each standing committee.
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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; (f) the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators, five Senators; and (g) the Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight, three Senators and two external members.
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Ex officio members
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12-3. (3) In addition to the membership provided for in subsections (1) and (2), the Leader of the Government and the Leader of the Opposition or, in the absence of either, their respective Deputy Leaders are ex officio members of all committees except the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators, the Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight, and the joint committees.
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Restriction on membership
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12-3. (4) No Senator shall be a member of both the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration and the Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight.
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Standing joint committees
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12-4. The number of Senators appointed to the following standing joint committees shall be recommended by the Committee of Selection:
(a) the Standing Joint Committee on the Library of Parliament; and (b) the Standing Joint Committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations.
REFERENCES Parliament of Canada Act, sections 74 and 78 Statutory Instruments Act, sections 19 and 19.1
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Membership changes
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12-5. Changes in the membership of a committee, except for the ex officio members and members of the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators and the Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight, may be made by notice filed with the Clerk, who shall have the notice recorded in the Journals of the Senate. The notice shall be signed by:
(a) the Leader of the Government or a designate for a change of government members; (b) the Leader of the Opposition or a designate for a change of opposition members; or (c) the leader or facilitator of any other recognized party or recognized parliamentary group, or a designate, for a change of members of that party or group.
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Quorum of standing committees
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12-6. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2) and elsewhere in these Rules, the quorum of a standing committee shall be four of its members.
EXCEPTION Rule 12-27(2): Quorum of Committee
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Audit and Oversight
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12-6. (2) The quorum of the Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight shall be two Senators and one external member, except in the case of the organization meeting, for which the quorum shall be three Senators.
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Standing Committees of the Senate
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Appointment and general mandates
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12-7. The Senate shall appoint the following standing committees:
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Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration |
12-7. (1) the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, which shall be authorized:
(a) to consider, on its own initiative, all financial and administrative matters concerning the Senate’s internal administration, and (b) subject to the Senate Administrative Rules, to act on all financial and administrative matters concerning the internal administration of the Senate and to interpret and determine the propriety of any use of Senate resources;
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Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament
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12-7. (2) the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament, which shall be authorized:
(a) to propose from time to time, on its own initiative, amendments to the Rules for the consideration of the Senate, (b) to examine any question of privilege referred to it by the Senate, and (c) to consider the orders and practices of the Senate and the privileges of Parliament;
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Official Languages
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12-7. (3) the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages, to which may be referred matters relating to official languages generally;
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Foreign Affairs and International Trade
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12-7. (4) the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, to which may be referred matters relating to foreign or Commonwealth relations generally, including:
(a) treaties and international agreements, (b) external trade, (c) foreign aid, and (d) territorial and offshore matters;
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National Finance
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12-7. (5) the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance, to which may be referred matters relating to federal estimates generally, including:
(a) the public accounts and reports of the Auditor General, and (b) government finance;
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Transport and Communications
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12-7. (6) the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications, to which may be referred matters relating to transport and communications generally, including:
(a) transport and communications by any means, (b) tourist traffic, (c) common carriers, and (d) navigation, shipping and navigable waters;
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Legal and Constitutional Affairs
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12-7. (7) the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, to which may be referred matters relating to legal and constitutional matters generally, including:
(a) federal-provincial relations, (b) administration of justice, law reform and any related matters, (c) the judiciary, (d) all essentially juridical matters, and (e) private bills not specifically assigned to another committee, including those related to marriage and divorce;
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Banking, Trade and Commerce |
12-7. (8) the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce, to which may be referred matters relating to banking, trade and commerce generally, including:
(a) banking, insurance, trust and loan companies, credit societies, caisses populaires and small loans companies, (b) customs and excise, (c) taxation legislation, (d) patents and royalties, (e) corporate affairs, and (f) bankruptcy;
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Social Affairs, Science and Technology
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12-7. (9) the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, to which may be referred matters relating to social affairs, science and technology generally, including:
(a) cultural affairs and the arts, (b) social and labour matters, (c) health and welfare, (d) pensions, (e) housing, (f) fitness and amateur sport, (g) employment and immigration, (h) consumer affairs, and (i) youth affairs;
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Agriculture and Forestry
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12-7. (10) the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, to which may be referred matters relating to agriculture and forestry generally, and the Canadian Wheat Board;
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Fisheries and Oceans
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12-7. (11) the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, to which may be referred matters relating to fisheries and oceans generally;
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Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources
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12-7. (12) the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources, to which may be referred matters relating to energy, the environment and natural resources generally, including:
(a) mines and natural resources, other than fisheries and forestry, (b) pipelines, transmission lines and energy transportation, (c) environmental affairs, and (d) other energy-related matters;
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Aboriginal Peoples
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12-7. (13) the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples, to which may be referred matters relating to the Aboriginal peoples of Canada;
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Human Rights
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12-7. (14) the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights, to which may be referred matters relating to human rights generally;
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National Security and Defence
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12-7. (15) the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence, to which may be referred matters relating to national defence and security generally, including veterans affairs;
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Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators
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12-7. (16) the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators, which shall be authorized:
(a) to exercise general direction over the Senate Ethics Officer, and (b) to be responsible, on its own initiative, for all matters relating to the Ethics and Conflict of Interest Code for Senators, including all forms involving Senators that are used in its administration, subject to the general jurisdiction of the Senate; and
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Audit and Oversight
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12-7. (17)
the Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight, which, for the purposes of integrity, independence, transparency and accountability, shall be authorized, on its own initiative, to:
(a) retain the services of and oversee the external auditors and internal auditors; (b) supervise the Senate’s internal and external audits; (c) report to the Senate regarding the internal and external audits, including audit reports and other matters; (d) review the Senate Administration’s action plans to ensure:
(i) that they adequately address the recommendations and findings arising from internal and external audits, and (ii) that they are effectively implemented;
(e) review the Senate’s Quarterly Financial Reports and the audited Financial Statements, and report them to the Senate; and (f) report at least annually with observations and recommendations to the Senate.
REFERENCE (Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration) Parliament of Canada Act, sections 19.1-19.9
REFERENCE (Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators) Ethics and Conflict of Interest Code for Senators, sections 35-37
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Orders of Reference to Committees
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Referral of a matter to any committee
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12-8. (1) Any bill, message, petition, inquiry, paper or other matter may be referred to any committee as the Senate may order. |
Service fee proposals
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12-8. (2) When the Leader or Deputy Leader of the Government tables a service fee proposal, it is deemed referred to the standing or special committee designated by the Leader or Deputy Leader of the Government following consultations with the Leader or Deputy Leader of the Opposition, and the leader or facilitator of any other recognized party or recognized parliamentary group.
REFERENCE Service Fees Act, subsection 15(1)
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Powers of Standing Committees and Standing Joint Committees
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Power to conduct inquiries and report
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12-9. (1) Standing committees and standing joint committees are empowered to inquire into and report on such matters as may be referred to them by the Senate.
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Power to send for persons and papers and to publish papers
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12-9. (2) Standing committees and standing joint committees are empowered:
(a) to send for persons, papers and records; and (b) to publish from day to day such papers and evidence as may be ordered by them.
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Audit and Oversight — access to information
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12-9. (3) The Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight may review the in camera proceedings of other Senate committees, including any transcripts of meetings, as they relate to the mandate of the Audit and Oversight Committee.
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Special and Legislative Committees
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Special committees
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12-10. (1) Special committees may be appointed from time to time with such terms of reference, powers and duties as the Senate shall determine.
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Special committees – mover of motion as member
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12-10. (2) Except as otherwise provided, a Senator on whose motion a bill, petition or other matter is referred to a special committee may be appointed to that committee if the Senator so desires.
EXCEPTION Rule 15-7(2): Restrictions if declaration of interest
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Legislative committees
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12-11. A legislative committee shall be composed of no more than 12 members.
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Subcommittees
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Appointment
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12-12. (1) A committee may appoint from among its members one or more subcommittees.
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Membership
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12-12. (2) A subcommittee shall be composed of no more than half the membership of the committee.
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Quorum
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12-12. (3) A subcommittee shall have a quorum of three members.
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Procedure
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12-12. (4) The rules applicable in the committee shall apply in the subcommittee with such modifications as the circumstances require.
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In camera meetings
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12-12. (5) Except when considering a bill clause by clause, a subcommittee may meet in camera whenever it so determines and without public notice.
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Reports
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12-12. (6) A subcommittee shall report to the committee that appointed it.
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Meetings
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Organization meeting
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12-13.(1) Except as provided in subsection (2), once the Senate has agreed to the membership of a committee, the Clerk of the Senate shall, as soon as practicable, call an organization meeting of the committee at which it shall elect a chair.
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Audit and Oversight — organization meeting
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12-13.(2) In the case of the Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight, the Clerk of the Senate shall, as soon as practicable after the Senate has agreed to the Senators to serve on the committee, call an organization meeting of the committee at which it shall elect a chair, without the external members having been nominated.
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Chair of Audit and Oversight
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12-13.(3) The chair of the Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight shall be a Senator who is not a member of the recognized party or recognized parliamentary group to which the chair of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration belongs.
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Audit and Oversight — nomination of external members
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12-13.(4) After electing its chair and deputy chair, the Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight shall adopt a report to the Senate nominating two external members for the committee. A former Senator or former member of the House of Commons is not eligible for nomination as an external member. This report must be agreed to by all three Senators who are members of the committee. The report shall include recommendations on remuneration and permissible expenses for the external members, which shall be paid from Senate funds once the report is adopted by the Senate. A similar process shall be followed if a vacancy arises in the position of external member over the course of the session.
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Participation of non-members
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12-14. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2) and elsewhere in these Rules, a Senator who is not a member of a committee may attend and participate in its deliberations, but shall not vote.
EXCEPTIONS Rule 12-28(2): Participation of non-members Rule 15-7(2): Restrictions if declaration of interest Rule 16-3(6): Speaking at conferences
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Audit and Oversight
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12-14. (2) Senators who are not members of the Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight shall not attend or participate in its meetings, unless they are appearing as witnesses.
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Notice of meetings
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12-15. (1) A public notice shall be posted of every committee meeting.
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Meetings public
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12-15. (2) Except as otherwise provided, all meetings shall be held in public. Unless otherwise ordered, the public may attend a public meeting of a committee or a subcommittee.
EXCEPTIONS Rule 12-16(1): In camera meetings Rule 12-16(3): In camera meetings of joint committees Rule 12-28(1): In camera meetings
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In camera meetings
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12-16. (1) Except as provided in subsections (2) and (3) and elsewhere in these Rules, a committee may meet in camera only for the purpose of discussing:
(a) wages, salaries and other employee benefits; (b) contracts and contract negotiations; (c) labour relations and personnel matters; and
(d) a draft agenda or draft report.
EXCEPTION Rule 12-28(1): In camera meetings
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Audit and Oversight — in camera
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12-16. (2) The Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight shall meet in camera whenever it deals with the in camera proceedings of another committee.
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In camera meetings of joint committees
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12-16. (3) A joint committee may meet in camera whenever the joint committee so determines.
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Meetings without quorum
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12-17. A quorum is required whenever a committee makes a decision. However, a Senate committee may authorize the chair to hold meetings without a quorum for the purpose of receiving and publishing evidence.
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Meetings on days Senate sits
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12-18. (1) Except as otherwise ordered by the Senate, a Senate committee may meet on days the Senate sits, but it shall not meet during a sitting of the Senate.
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Meetings on days the Senate is adjourned
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12-18. (2) Except as provided in subsection (3) and elsewhere in these Rules, a Senate committee may meet when the Senate is adjourned:
(a) for more than a day but less than a week, provided that notice was given to the members of the committee one day before the Senate adjourned; or (b) for more than a week, provided that the meeting was either:
(i) by order of the Senate, or
(ii) with the signed consent of the Leaders of the Government and Opposition, or their designates, in response to a written request from the chair and deputy chair.
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EXCEPTION Rule 12-29: Adjournment of the Senate
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Audit and Oversight
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12-18. (3) The Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight may meet during any adjournment of the Senate.
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Power to adjourn
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12-19. (1) A committee may adjourn from time to time.
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Meetings outside the parliamentary precinct
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12-19. (2) A committee may travel and adjourn from place to place outside the parliamentary precinct if authorized to do so by the Senate.
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Committee Procedures
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Proceedings in committee
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12-20. (1) In Senate committees:
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Addressing chair |
(a) Senators wishing to speak shall address the chair; |
Seconder not required |
(b) a motion does not require a seconder; |
Motion defeated when votes equal
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(c) all motions shall be decided by majority vote, including the vote of the chair, and when the votes are equal, the motion is defeated; and |
Notice not required
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(d) notice of a motion or an amendment shall not be required.
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Vote in Audit and Oversight Committee
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12-20. (2) The external members of the Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight may participate in all proceedings of the committee, but shall not vote on any motion put to the committee.
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Before recorded vote
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12-20. (3) Before a recorded vote in committee, the chair shall announce the names of Senators present who have made and not retracted a declaration of private interest on the matter to be voted on, and their names shall not be called except to abstain.
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Clause-by-clause consideration of bills
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12-20. (4) Except with leave of its members present, a committee shall not dispense with clause-by-clause consideration of a bill.
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Inconsistency with the Rules and practices of the Senate
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12-20. (5) No Senate committee shall adopt procedures inconsistent with the Rules or practices of the Senate.
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Smoking prohibited
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12-21. Smoking is prohibited at meetings of all committees and subcommittees.
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Committee Reports
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Majority conclusions
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12-22. (1)Except as provided in subsection (7), a report of a Senate committee shall contain the conclusions agreed to by majority.
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Presentation or tabling
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12-22. (2)Except as provided in subsection (8) and elsewhere in these Rules, a committee report shall be presented or tabled in the Senate by the chair or by a Senator designated by the chair.
EXCEPTION Rule 12-31: Report deposited with the Clerk
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Tabled for information only
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12-22. (3) A committee report that is only for the purpose of information shall be tabled in the Senate. A tabled report may, by motion,be placed on the Orders of the Day for future consideration.
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No debate when report presented or tabled
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12-22. (4) No debate is allowed when a committee report is presented or tabled in the Senate.
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Approval of service fees |
12-22. (5) If a service 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 service fee.
REFERENCE Service Fees Act, subsection 15(3)
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Debate on a tabled report
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12-22. (6) If a motion to adopt a tabled report is moved only after consideration of the report has started, any Senator who spoke on the consideration of the report before the motion was moved may speak to the motion, but only for a maximum of five minutes.
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Reports of Audit and Oversight committee — content
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12-22.(7) Any member of the Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight, including an external member, shall have the right to include individual observations and dissenting opinions in any report of the committee if the member so wishes.
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Audit and Oversight — report deposited with the Clerk
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12-22.(8) A report of the Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight may be deposited with the Clerk at any time the Senate stands adjourned, and the report shall be deemed to have been presented or tabled in the Senate.
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Report on Bills
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Obligation to report bill
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12-23. (1) A committee to which a bill has been referred shall report the bill to the Senate. The report shall set out any amendments that the committee is recommending.
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Report on bill without amendment
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12-23. (2) A report on a bill without amendment shall be considered adopted upon presentation, and a Senator shall move that the bill be read a third time on a future day.
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Reporting bill with amendments
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12-23. (3) When a committee report recommends amendments to a bill, or makes proposals that require the approval of the Senate, the report shall, by motion, be placed on the Orders of the Day for future consideration.
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Amendments to be explained
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12-23. (4) The Senator presenting a committee report recommending amendments to a bill shall explain the purpose and effect of each amendment.
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Reporting against bill
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12-23. (5) When a committee report recommends that the Senate not proceed further with a bill, the report must state the reasons for this. If the report is adopted, the Senate shall not proceed further with the bill.
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Signing of amended bill |
12-23. (6) A committee report recommending amendments to a bill shall have attached to it a printed copy of the bill on which the amendments are clearly written. The chair or deputy chair shall sign or initial this copy of the bill as well as all the amendments.
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Government Responses to Reports
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Request for government response
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12-24. (1) The Senate may request a complete and detailed response from the Government to a report of a standing or special committee that has been adopted by the Senate. This request may be:
(a) contained in the report itself; (b) contained in the motion to adopt the report; or (c) made by a separate motion moved after the report has been adopted.
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Communication of request
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12-24. (2) When the Senate requests a Government response, the Clerk shall communicate the request and send a copy of the report to the Leader of the Government and to each minister expressly identified in the request.
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Tabling response
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12-24. (3) The Leader of the Government shall table the Government’s response no later than 150 calendar days after the request was adopted, or provide an explanation why the response has not been provided.
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Response or explanation deemed referred to committee
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12-24. (4) The report and either the Government’s response or the explanation why there is no response shall be deemed referred to the relevant committee when either is tabled or provided.
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Absence of response and explanation deemed referred to committee
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12-24. (5) If, 150 calendar days after the request was adopted, the Government has neither tabled its response nor provided an explanation why there is no response, then the report and the absence of a response or an explanation shall be deemed referred to the relevant committee.
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Committee Expenditures
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Payment of witnesses’ expenses
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12-25. The Clerk is authorized to pay witnesses invited or summoned before a Senate committee a reasonable sum for their living and travelling expenses, upon the certificate of the clerk of the committee.
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Financial operations
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12-26. (1) The financial operations of Senate committees shall be governed by the Senate Administrative Rules.
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Report of expenses
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12-26. (2) A committee shall table a report within 15 sitting days of the commencement of each session on any special expenses incurred during the previous session. This report shall state the expenses that have been accounted for as well as an estimate of expenditures not yet accounted for.
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When committee not reconstituted
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12-26. (3) When the final or interim report of expenditures involves a committee that is not reconstituted, the report shall be tabled by, or on behalf of, the Senator who was most recently the chair of that committee.
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Printing of report
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12-26. (4) Each final or interim report on special expenditures shall be printed in the Journals of the Senate.
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Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators
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Appointment of committee
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12-27. (1) As soon as practicable at the beginning of each session, the Leader of the Government shall move a motion, seconded by the Leader of the Opposition, on the membership of the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators. This motion shall be deemed adopted without debate or vote, and a similar motion shall be moved for any substitutions in the membership of the Committee.
REFERENCE Ethics and Conflict of Interest Code for Senators, subsections 35(4) and (5)
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Quorum of committee
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12-27. (2) The quorum of the committee is three.
REFERENCE Ethics and Conflict of Interest Code for Senators, subsection 35(2)
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In camera meetings
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12-28. (1) Meetings of the committee shall be in camera unless the committee accepts the request of the Senator who is the subject of an inquiry report from the Senate Ethics Officer that the meeting be in public.
REFERENCE Ethics and Conflict of Interest Code for Senators, subsections 36(1) and (2)
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Participation of non-members
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12-28. (2) When the committee is meeting in camera, only members of the committee or, by decision of the committee, a Senator who is the subject of an inquiry report may attend and participate in deliberations.
REFERENCE Ethics and Conflict of Interest Code for Senators, subsections 36(3) and (4)
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Adjournment of the Senate
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12-29. The committee may sit during any adjournment of the Senate.
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Motion deemed made
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12-30. (1) A motion to adopt a report of the committee concerning a Senator shall be deemed moved on the fifth sitting day following its presentation, if the motion is not moved earlier. |
Minimum period for consideration of report
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12-30. (2) No vote on a motion to adopt a report under this rule shall be taken until the earlier of the following:
(a) the fifth sitting day following the motion to adopt the report; or (b) the Senator who is the subject of the report has spoken.
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Referral back to the committee
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12-30. (3) For greater certainty, the Senate may refer a report of the committee back to the committee for further consideration.
REFERENCE Ethics and Conflict of Interest Code for Senators, subsection 51(4)
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Former senator
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12-30. (4) If a report of the committee deals with the conduct of a former Senator, he or she shall be invited to speak to the report as a witness before a Committee of the Whole.
REFERENCE Ethics and Conflict of Interest Code for Senators, subsection 51(3)
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Maximum period for consideration of report
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12-30. (5) The Speaker shall put all questions necessary to dispose of a report under this rule when it is called no later than the fifteenth sitting day after a motion for adoption was moved.
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Voting
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12-30. (6) A Senator who is the subject of a report of the committee shall not vote on any motion relating to the report.
REFERENCE Ethics and Conflict of Interest Code for Senators, subsection 51(5)
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Deferred vote on report
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12-30. (7) Except as otherwise provided, when the questions to dispose of a report are put under subsection (5):
(a) if a standing vote is requested at or before 5:15 p.m., the vote shall be deferred until 5:30 p.m. on the same day, and the vote shall not be further deferred; (b) if a standing vote is requested after 5:15 p.m. and before 5:30 p.m., it shall be deferred to the time that would allow for a 15 minute bell, and the vote shall not be further deferred; and (c) if a standing vote is requested at 5:30 p.m. or later, it shall be deferred until 5:30 p.m. on the next sitting day, and the vote shall not be further deferred.
EXCEPTION Rule 16-1(6): Standing vote may be postponed if in conflict with message
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Report deposited with the Clerk
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12-31. A report of the committee may be deposited with the Clerk at any time the Senate stands adjourned and the report shall be deemed to have been presented to the Senate at the next sitting.
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Committee of the Whole
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No notice required for Committee of the Whole
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12-32. (1) A motion to resolve the Senate into a Committee of the Whole may be moved without notice.
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Proceedings recorded
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12-32. (2) The proceedings of a Committee of the Whole shall be entered in the Journals of the Senate.
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Procedure in Committee of the Whole
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12-32. (3) The Rules and practices of the Senate shall apply in a Committee of the Whole with the following exceptions:
(a) Senators wishing to speak shall address the chair; (b) Senators need not stand or be in their assigned place to speak; (c) a Senator may speak any number of times; (d) no Senator shall speak in debate for more than ten minutes at a time; (e) any standing vote shall be taken immediately without the bells to call in the Senators; (f) arguments against the principle of a bill shall not be admitted; (g) no motion for the previous question or for adjournment shall be received; and (h) except as otherwise provided, notice is not required for a motion or an amendment.
EXCEPTION Rule 11-16: Notice of substantive amendments to private bills
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Participation of ministers in Committee of the Whole
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12-32. (4) When a bill or other matter relating to the administrative responsibility of the government is being considered by a Committee of the Whole, a minister who is not a Senator may, on invitation of the committee, enter the chamber and take part in debate.
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Witnesses in Committee of the Whole
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12-32. (5) Persons other than ministers may be invited to attend as witnesses before a Committee of the Whole.
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Motion to leave chair or report progress
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12-33. (1) In a Committee of the Whole, a Senator may at any time move “That the chair do now leave the chair” or “That the chair do now report progress and ask leave to sit again”. When either motion is moved, the following conditions shall apply:
(a) the motion shall be decided immediately without debate or amendment; and
(b) if the motion is rejected, another motion to the same effect shall not be received unless an intermediate proceeding has taken place.
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Adoption of motion to leave chair
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12-33. (2) If the motion “That the chair do now leave the chair” is adopted, the committee shall immediately rise. The chair shall make no report to the Senate, and the bill or other matter before the Committee of the Whole shall be dropped from the Orders of the Day. |