Ruling
October 21, 2003
Unanimous consent: splitting speaking time in the first round
Hon. Peter Milliken
Speaker of the House
Ruling Text
The Deputy Speaker:
I should keep in mind of course that I chaired the Committee on Modernization.
The Committee, in effect, changed the 40-minute speeches that were originally set aside for the Government and the two next opposition parties, being the Alliance and the Bloc Québécois. There was a discussion at that time among the House Leaders and others who participated in this Committee to go to 20-minute speeches for a more equitable distribution of time.
Originally, there was an ability, through unanimous consent, to change the 40-minutes and split it. It would appear that in our Committee we did not go as far as we might have intended to, but we certainly did not make the provision to split the 20-minutes.
Therefore, in this case I will continue the debate. I will now go to the Official Opposition and the intended speaker.
I would want to hear from the Government House Leader if he wanted to speak longer because maybe it was his intent to speak less, and probably in this case the Parliamentary Secretary was going to split the time. However, in accordance with the rules we have presently—and it may be something that the House Leaders and others would want to review as to whether the intent might have been otherwise—clearly the Chair does not have the ability to allow for the splitting of the 20-minute speeches.
Of course, as is the practice in the House, we can do most anything with consent.
I will go back to the Minister or his Parliamentary Secretary and ask if they wish to seek consent to split the time. I see a positive nod from the Parliamentary Secretary.
The Government side is asking for consent to split its 20-minute slot. Of course, the Minister has already spoken, so in fact the next 10 minutes would go to the Parliamentary Secretary.
Postscript Consent was denied..
[1]
Debates, October 21, 2003, p. 8523.
Edit Metadata
Holding
"The Chair does not have the authority under the current rules to permit the splitting of 20-minute speeches; this can only be accomplished through the unanimous consent of the House."
AI Summary
The Speaker ruled that 20-minute speech slots cannot be split without obtaining the unanimous consent of the House.
AI Analysis
- Outcome
- Sustained
- Tone
- Educational
- Procedural Stage
- Government Orders
- Significance
Low
High