Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Privileges, Standing
Rules and Orders
Issue 12 - Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth Reports of the Committee
THURSDAY, May 6, 1999
The Standing Committee on Privileges, Standing Rules and Orders has the honour to present its
TENTH REPORT
Your committee, in accordance with Rule 108, and upon the request of its sponsor, the Honourable Senator Taylor, recommends the suspension of Rule 106 in connection with a proposed private bill intituled: "An Act to amend the Act of incorporation of the Board of Elders of the Canadian District of the Moravian Church in America".
Respectfully submitted,
WEDNESDAY, June 2, 1999
The Standing Committee on Privileges, Standing Rules and Orders has the honour to present its
ELEVENTH REPORT
Pursuant to Rule 86(1)(f)(i), your committee has examined the issue of the restructuring of Senate committees, and now makes the following recommendations.
Number of Standing Committees
1. Your committee recommends that the Rules of the Senate be amended by adding after Rule 86(1)(q), the following new Rules 86(1)(r) and (s):
"(r) The Senate Committee on Defence and Security, to which may be referred, as the Senate may decide, bills, messages, petitions, inquiries, papers and other matters relating to defence and security generally, including veterans affairs.
(s) The Senate Committee on Human Rights, to which may be referred, as the Senate may decide, bills, messages, petitions, inquiries, papers and other matters relating to human rights generally."
Your committee also recommends that these rules be provisional, that they come into force immediately, and that they cease to have effect at 6 p.m., October 10, 2000.
Size of Committees
2. Your committee recommends that the Rules of the Senate be amended as follows:
a. By adding a new Rule 85(2.1):
"(2.1) Subject to subsection (2.2)(a) below, the Committee of Selection may nominate as many as twelve Senators or as few as six Senators to serve on standing committees, provided that such a decision is unanimously agreed to by the committee."
b. By deleting Rules 86(1)(f) to (q) and replacing them with the following:
"(f) The Committee on Privileges, Standing Rules and Orders:
(i) on its own initiative to propose, from time to time, amendments to the rules for consideration by the Senate;
(ii) upon a reference from the Senate, to examine and, if required, report on any question of privilege; and
(iii) to consider the orders and customs of the Senate and privileges of Parliament.
(g) The Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, which is authorized on its own initiative to consider all matters of a financial or administrative nature relating to the internal management of the Senate.
(h) The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, to which shall be referred, if there is a motion to that effect, bills, messages, petitions, inquiries, papers and other matters relating to foreign and commonwealth relations generally, including:
(i) treaties and international agreements;
(ii) external trade;
(iii) foreign aid; and
(iv) territorial and offshore matters.
(i) The Senate Committee on National Finance, to which shall be referred, if there is a motion to that effect, bills, messages, petitions, inquiries, papers and other matters relating to federal estimates generally, including:
(i) national accounts and the report of the Auditor General; and
(ii) Government finance.
(j) The Senate Committee on Transport and Communications, to which shall be referred, if there is a motion to that effect, bills, messages, petitions, inquiries, papers and other matters relating to transport and communications generally, including:
(i) transport and communications by land, air, water, and space, whether by radio, telephone, telegraph, wire, cable, microwave, wireless, television, satellite, broadcasting, postal communications or any other form, method or means of communications or transport;
(ii) tourist traffic;
(iii) common carriers; and
(iv) navigation, shipping and navigable waters.
(k) The Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, to which shall be referred, if there is a motion to that effect, bills, messages, petitions, inquiries, papers and other matters relating to legal and constitutional matters generally, including:
(i) federal-provincial relations;
(ii) administration of justice, law reform and all matters related thereto, with the exception of issues relating to national security;
(iii) the judiciary;
(iv) all essentially juridical matters; and
(v) private bills not otherwise specifically assigned to another committee, including those related to marriage and divorce.
(l) The Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce, to which shall be referred, if there is a motion to that effect, bills, messages, petitions, inquiries, papers and other matters relating to banking, trade and commerce generally, including:
(i) banking, insurance, trust and loan companies, credit societies, caisses populaires and small loans companies;
(ii) customs and excise;
(iii) taxation legislation;
(iv) patents and royalties;
(v) corporate affairs; and
(vi) bankruptcy.
(m) The Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, to which shall be referred, if there is an order of the Senate to that effect, bills, messages, petitions, inquiries, papers and other matters relating to social affairs, science, and technology generally, including:
(i) cultural affairs and the arts;
(ii) social and labour matters;
(iii) health and welfare;
(iv) pensions;
(v) housing;
(vi) fitness and amateur sports;
(vii) employment and immigration;
(viii) consumer affairs; and
(ix) youth affairs.
(n) The Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, to which shall be referred, on order of the Senate, bills, messages, petitions, inquiries, papers and other matters relating to agriculture and forestry generally, and the Canadian Wheat Board.
(o) The Senate Committee on Fisheries, to which shall be referred, on order of the Senate, bills, messages, petitions, inquiries, papers and other matters relating to fisheries generally.
(p) The Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources, to which shall be referred, on order of the Senate, bills, messages, petitions, inquiries, papers and other matters relating to energy, the environment and natural resources generally, including:
(i) mines and natural resources, other than fisheries and forestry;
(ii) pipelines, transmission lines and energy transportation;
(iii) environmental affairs; and
(iv) other energy-related matters.
(q) The Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples, to which may be referred, as the Senate may decide, bills, messages, petitions, inquiries, papers and other matters relating to the Aboriginal Peoples of Canada."
c. By amending Rule 89 as follows:
"89. (1) A third of the members of a select committee shall constitute a quorum provided that the quorum shall not be less than three members. In the case of a joint committee, the number of members constituting a quorum shall be such as the Senate acting in consultation with the House of Commons may determine.
(2) A quorum is required whenever a vote, resolution or other decision is taken by a select committee, but any such committee, by resolution thereof, may authorize the chairman to hold meetings to receive and authorize the printing of evidence when a quorum is not present."
Additional Members on Committees
3. Your committee recommends that the Rules of the Senate be amended as follows:
By adding a new Rule 85 (2.2)(a):
"(2.2)(a)The Committee of Selection may make a recommendation to the Senate that two additional members be added to any standing committee provided that the vote of the committee of Selection on the addition is unanimous."
By adding a new Rule 85 (2.2)(b):
"(2.2)(b) Senators may apply to sit on a standing committee either by application to their respective whip or directly to the Committee of Selection."
Respectfully submitted,
WEDNESDAY, June 16, 1999
The Standing Committee on Privileges, Standing Rules and Orders has the honour to present its
TWELFTH REPORT
On Thursday, June 10, 1999 the Senate adopted the following motion:
That the issue of the rights of all Senators to be able to participate in the standing votes in the Senate that have been requested in accordance with Rule 65(3), and the procedures followed on June 9, 1999, regarding the vote to adjourn the debate on the Eleventh Report of the Privileges, Standing Rules and Orders committee, be referred to the Standing Committee on Privileges, Standing Rules and Orders.
On Wednesday, June 16, 1999, your committee heard from Senator Murray, P.C.
Your committee will continue its study of whether or not a question of privilege has been established. However, as an interim measure, your committee makes the following recommendation:
That the whips be advised that notwithstanding any Rule of the Senate, the bells to call in the Senators for a standing vote that has been requested in accordance with Rule 65(3), shall be sounded for not less than 20 minutes.
This recommendation would not apply where a standing vote immediately follows another standing vote.
Respectfully submitted,
SHIRLEY MAHEU
Chair