Sittings

3-1. (1) Except as otherwise ordered by the Senate, the Senate shall meet at 2 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays and at 9 a.m. on Fridays.

3-1. (2) Except as otherwise ordered by the Senate, when the Senate adjourns on a Friday, it shall stand adjourned to the following Monday.

3-2. (1) The Speaker shall enter the chamber at the time the Senate is scheduled to meet.

3-2. (2) The bells to call in the Senators shall begin ringing no later than 15 minutes before the time the Senate is scheduled to meet and shall stop when the Speaker sees that a quorum is present.

3-2. (3) If a quorum is not present within two hours after the time the Senate is scheduled to meet, the Speaker shall declare that the Senate is unable to sit due to a lack of quorum and shall leave the chair until the next sitting day.

REFERENCE
Constitution Act, 1867, section 35

Interrupted Business

3-3. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2) and elsewhere in these Rules, if the Senate or a Committee of the Whole has not concluded its business at 6 p.m., the Speaker or the chair shall suspend the sitting until 8 p.m. During this suspension, the mace shall remain on or under the table as the circumstances warrant.

EXCEPTIONS
Rule 4-2(8)(b): Evening suspension delayed when Senators’ Statements extended
Rule 7-4(2): Debate to continue beyond ordinary time of adjournment and no evening suspension
Rule 16-1(4): Adjournment delayed after receipt of message
Rule 16-1(8): Message on Royal Assent

3-3. (2) If a standing vote is scheduled for, or in progress at, 6 p.m., the sitting shall not be suspended until the vote has been taken and any consequential business has been concluded.

3-4. Except as otherwise provided or ordered by the Senate, if the Senate is sitting at 4 p.m. on a Friday or at midnight on another sitting day, the Speaker shall interrupt the proceedings and declare the Senate adjourned until the next sitting day without the question being put.

EXCEPTIONS
Rule 7-3(1)(c): Procedure for debate on motion to allocate time
Rule 7-4(2): Debate to continue beyond ordinary time of adjournment and no evening suspension
Rule 8-4(8): Extension of sitting if required
Rule 9-9: Adjournment suspended during vote
Rule 9-10(7): No adjournment until after deferred vote
Rule 13-6(6): Continuation of debate on motion on case of privilege beyond ordinary time of adjournment on first day of debate
Rule 13-6(10): Where Orders of the Day not completed
Rule 16-1(4): Adjournment delayed after receipt of message
Rule 16-1(8): Message on Royal Assent

3-5. (1) Any item of business under consideration at the ordinary time of adjournment shall be an order of the day for the next sitting.

3-5. (2) When the Senate is adjourned, any order of the day not then disposed of shall be an order of the day for the next sitting.

Adjournment Periods

3-6. (1) Whenever the Senate stands adjourned, the Speaker may, if satisfied that the public interest so requires, recall it to meet earlier than the date and time stipulated in the adjournment order.

3-6. (2) Whenever the Senate stands adjourned, if the Speaker is satisfied that the public interest does not require the Senate to meet at the date and time stipulated in the adjournment order, the Speaker shall, after consulting the Leader of the Government, the Leader of the Opposition, and the leader or facilitator of any other recognized party or recognized parliamentary group, or their designates, determine an appropriate later date or time for the next sitting.

3-6. (3) When the Senate is recalled or an adjournment period is extended, the Speaker shall cause each Senator to be notified by the most effective means available of the date and time of the next sitting and, in the case of a recall, the reason.

3-6. (4) The non-receipt by any Senator of notification of the revised date and time of the next sitting does not affect its validity.

3-6. (5) In the absence of the Speaker, or when the office of Speaker is vacant, the Clerk may act for the purposes of this rule.

Quorum

3-7. (1) A quorum of 15 Senators, including the Speaker, is required for the Senate to sit and conduct business.

REFERENCE
Constitution Act, 1867, section 35

3-7. (2) A Senator may at any time draw the attention of the Senate to a possible lack of quorum. The Speaker shall then cause any Senators nearby to be summoned and, if a quorum is not found within five minutes, the Speaker shall order the bells to ring for no more than 15 minutes.

3-7. (3) If a quorum has not been found after the bells have rung for 15 minutes, the Speaker shall adjourn the Senate until the next sitting day without the question being put.

3-7. (4) When the Senate adjourns for lack of a quorum, any item of business then under consideration, except an emergency debate, shall be an order of the day for the next sitting.