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February 29, 1996
The Deputy Speaker: Dear colleagues, before recognizing the honourable member for Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, I must rule on the point of order that was raised the other day. Here is the Speaker's...
The Speaker ruled that a government motion to create a mechanism for reinstating bills from a previous session was procedurally acceptable and could proceed to debate.
December 14, 1995
The Speaker: Before we proceed to the consideration of the speech of His Excellency the Governor General of Canada, I wish to address the matter of the designation of the official opposition....
The Speaker ruled that in a mid-parliamentary tie for the second-most seats, the incumbent party retains the status of official opposition.
November 28, 1991
The Speaker: On Friday, November 22, 1991, as the House was about to begin the third reading debate on Bill C-35, An Act to correct certain anomalies, inconsistencies, archaisms and errors in the...
The Speaker denied a Point of Order challenging the conditional nature of Bill C-35 at Third Reading, ruling that while the practice of amending pending bills was concerning, the House retained sufficient legislative remedies to proceed.
October 10, 1991
Rules of Debate / Decorum October 10, 1991 Debates, pp. 3562-4 Context During Routine Proceedings on October 10, 1991, Mr. Bill Blaikie (Winnipeg Transcona) rose on a point of order concerning the...
The Speaker took under advisement a Point of Order concerning the inadequacy of traditional remedies for sexist and racist remarks directed at groups, promising to assist the House in improving decorum standards.
March 20, 1991
Mr. Speaker: On Friday, March 8,1991, the honourable Member for Ontario rose on a point of order to object to the inclusion of items in the Supplementary and Main Estimates which would authorize...
The Speaker sustained a point of order, ruling that items in the Estimates cannot be used to create new legislative authority for senators' allowances or authorize multi-year spending.
April 26, 1990
Mr. Speaker: On April 3, 1990, the honourable Government House Leader rose to contest the acceptability of certain amendments set out in the Senate message respecting Bill C-21, An Act to amend...
The Speaker ruled that he could not unilaterally declare Senate amendments to a money bill out of order, affirming it is the House of Commons' responsibility to defend its own financial privileges.
April 3, 1990
The Speaker: Yesterday the honourable House Leader of the Official Opposition (Mr. Gauthier) raised a question of privilege relating to events of Friday, March 30, 1990, a day designated as the...
The Speaker ruled that a government quorum call ending an opposition supply day is a legitimate tactic, not a breach of privilege.
April 2, 1990
Mr. Speaker: On March 30, 1990 the honourable Member for Kamloops rose on a point of order to express his concern about the procedural acceptability of the Finance Committee's Report on Bill C-62,...
The Speaker denied a point of order challenging a committee report, affirming the long-standing principle that the Chair will not interfere in the internal proceedings of committees.
March 26, 1990
Mr. Speaker: Last Thursday, March 22, the House heard extensive arguments bought forward by various Members relating to the complex and sometimes perplexing subject of supply, specifically the...
The Speaker ruled that an opposition supply motion was in order, as supply days can be created by attrition at the end of a period and the practice of embargoing notices is valid.
March 20, 1990
Mr. Speaker: Committees sitting at the same time as bells are sounded to call Members into the House for a recorded division continues to be a problem in the eyes of some honourable Members. On...
The Speaker ruled that committees are permitted by the Standing Orders to sit during division bells and that he has no power to intervene, despite acknowledging the grievance.