Ruling
November 21, 2007
Report stage: motions in amendment; motion to restore the content of a bill defeated
Hon. Peter Milliken
Speaker of the House
Ruling Text
The Speaker:
The vote just taken has left Bill C-284 empty of all content. As far as I know, the House is now in a situation that is unprecedented in the circumstances and it seems to me that a brief review of the events that have led us to this point is appropriate.
On June 13, 2007, the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities reported Bill C-284 back to the House but Bill C-284 had been eviscerated in committee, that is, the Bill had been stripped of its title and all of its clauses.
At report stage, motions were proposed to restore Bill C-284, its original title, that is, An Act to amend the Canada Student Financial Assistance Act (Canada access grants) and all its original clauses. By defeating these motions to restore Bill C-284 to its original form, the House has chosen to leave it as an empty or blank bill.
Ordinarily, following the House's decision on report stage amendments, the question is put on the concurrence in the Bill at report stage. In the present case, however, there is no content in which to concur since the House has effectively agreed with the Committee's actions in stripping Bill C-284 to its present blank form.
As nothing remains of Bill C-284 except the bill number, the Chair is obliged to exercise the authority provided by Standing Order 94(1)( a ) to ensure the orderly conduct of Private Members' Business.
I therefore rule that the Order for consideration at report stage of Bill C-284, An Act to amend the Canada Student Financial Assistance Act (Canada access grants), be discharged and that the Bill be dropped from the Order Paper..
[1]
Eighteenth Report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities, presented to the House on June 13, 2007 (Journals, p. 1519 ).
[2]
Journals, November 21, 2007, pp. 191-2.
Edit Metadata
Holding
"The order for consideration of Bill C-284 is discharged and the bill is dropped from the Order Paper because it has been stripped of all content, leaving nothing for the House to consider."
AI Summary
The Speaker rules that a Private Member's Bill stripped of all its content must be discharged and dropped from the Order Paper.
AI Analysis
- Outcome
- Other
- Tone
- Educational
- Procedural Stage
- Private Members' Business
- Significance
Low
High