Statement
October 20, 2025
Statement concerning Private Members' Business and the Royal Recommendation
Hon. Francis Scarpaleggia
Speaker of the House
Ruling Text
The Speaker:
In advance of the House's consideration of Private Members' Business, the Chair wishes to make a short statement concerning private members' bills and the royal recommendation.
Members will be aware that constitutional and procedural constraints govern certain financial matters in proposed legislation. Any bill proposing to spend public funds for a new and distinct purpose must be accompanied by a royal recommendation, which may only be transmitted to the House by a minister of the Crown.
Any private member's bill that requires a royal recommendation must receive it prior to the putting of the question at third reading. Otherwise, the Speaker will not put the question, and the bill would then be dropped from the Order Paper.
[Translation]
The Chair has examined the items in the order of precedence. I wish to inform the House that, on initial review, one bill appears to touch upon the Crown's financial prerogative: Bill C‐222, an act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code with regard to the death of a child, standing in the name of the member for Burnaby North—Seymour.
I encourage members who would like to make arguments regarding whether this or any other bill in the order of precedence requires a royal recommendation to do so at an early opportunity.
Furthermore, the Chair would like to remind members of the rules governing debate on private members' business items. For motions and bills at the second reading stage, the debate proceeds as follows.
The member moving the motion may speak for up to 15 minutes to start debate, followed by five minutes for questions and comments.
[English]
Any other member may speak to the motion for up to 10 minutes, with no period for questions and comments.
Finally, just before the Chair puts the question to the House, the member moving the motion also has a five-minute right of reply to conclude the debate.
If members have any questions about Private Members' Business, they can consult the table officers or contact the Private Members' Business Office.
I thank members for their attention.
Edit Metadata
Holding
"The Speaker proactively informed the House that Bill C-222 may require a royal recommendation to proceed past third reading and reminded members of the debate rules for Private Members' Business."
AI Summary
The Speaker makes a statement on the requirement for a royal recommendation for private members' bills, flagging Bill C-222, and reviews debate procedures.
AI Analysis
- Outcome
- Other
- Tone
- Educational
- Procedural Stage
- Private Members' Business
- Significance
Low
High