Thursday, March 9, 2023

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

FIFTH REPORT

Your committee, which is authorized pursuant to rule 12-7(2)(a) to propose from time to time, on its own initiative, amendments to the Rules for consideration of the Senate now reports as follows:

Whereas, in the fall of 2022, the Standing Senate Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament studied the changes proposed by the Honourable Senators Yuen Pau Woo and Scott Tannas to ensure equity between recognized parties and recognized parliamentary groups;

Whereas the proposed changes are due to the fact that Senators are now organized into more than two recognized parties and recognized parliamentary groups;

Whereas the committee agreed to operate by consensus;

Whereas the committee has agreed that equity does not mean equality;

Whereas the Opposition in the Senate considers that its role as opposition comes with certain rights in the Senate’s operating rules and procedures;

Whereas other recognized parliamentary groups consider that they should have the same rights as the Opposition in the Senate’s operating rules and procedures;

Whereas several proposed modifications did not reach consensus;

Whereas the committee discussions have reached their limit;

It was agreed to report the following for the information of the Senate:

1) Table 1, outlining areas of consensus in committee (see Appendix 1);

2) Table 2, outlining areas where there was no consensus in committee (see Appendix 2); and

3) Table 3, which modifies those areas where there was not consensus so that only changes to titles are reflected (see Appendix 3).

Respectfully submitted,