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February 13, 1969
In Committee of the Whole the motion is to adopt a clause. If, at that stage, a Member moves an amendment to delete a clause, it would constitute an expanded negative, which is contrary to the...
The Speaker rules that a motion to delete a clause at report stage is procedurally acceptable, unlike in Committee of the Whole where it would be an expanded negative.
February 7, 1969
This is not the occasion to speak on the general procedure followed by a committee of the House. If the Member "has a protest to make,... it should be made when there is a general debate on the...
The Speaker ruled that a Member's remarks at report stage must be confined to their specific motion in amendment, not general committee procedure.
February 3, 1969
''According to the Standing Orders, a question put during the daily Oral Questions may be answered either by an oral answer, by an order for return or by a ministerial statement on motions." The...
The Speaker ruled that tabling a document is not a valid new procedure for answering an Oral Question, but a minister may table a document under the separate rule for government papers.
January 27, 1969
The Standing Orders require a 24-hour written notice be given; therefore, it should be open to Members to file their notices for motions, bills or papers and written questions, just as it should...
The Speaker rules that a suspension of a sitting is not an adjournment, and therefore the 24-hour notice period for filing business continues to run.
January 23, 1969
A bill must be read twice and referred to a committee before being amended, although a Member may move a reasoned amendment to the motion for second reading of a bill. The proposed amendment is...
A ruling clarifying that an instruction to a committee cannot be moved as an amendment at second reading but must wait until after the bill is referred.
December 12, 1968
A long-standing practice allows officials to sit in the special gallery and to take notes. However, if a Member desires that some persons should be expelled, he or she must propose a motion in...
The Speaker ruled that a Member's request to expel strangers from the gallery was dropped because a specific, votable motion is required, which was not possible due to the vague description provided.
December 10, 1968
While most major revisions of House rules have been considered in Committee of the Whole, there have been, in fact, a number of occasions when this has not happened. Rule changes can be adopted...
The Speaker clarifies they lack the authority to force the House to consider rule changes in a Committee of the Whole.
December 5, 1968
"If, according to Standing Orders, a Member cannot insist byway of a question of privilege upon an answer, it is obvious that a question of privilege cannot be raised when an answer has been...
The Speaker denies a request for an emergency debate due to a lack of urgency and clarifies that unsatisfactory answers are not grounds for a question of privilege.
November 26, 1968
According to practice, the amendment could not be received or debated, since it amends the report of the committee rather than the motion for concurrence. "However, in view of the terminology of...
The Speaker permitted a procedurally irregular amendment to a committee report concurrence motion due to a special order suspending normal rules.
November 1, 1968
It is a well-established rule that the House is bound to accept the word of a Member. It is not unparliamentary to temperately criticize statements made by a Member as being contrary to fact,...
The Speaker denied a question of privilege, affirming that disputes over facts are matters for debate and the House must accept a member's word.