Ruling
December 13, 1989
Leave not granted/leave accepted; repetition of request on consecutive daysDecember 13, 14, 15, 1989
Hon. John Fraser
Speaker of the House
Ruling Text
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Emergency Debates / Motions to Adjourn – Emergency Debates
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<time>December 13, 14, 15, 1989</time>
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<p class="e-Debates">
Debates, <a href="https://parl.canadiana.ca/view/oop.debates_HOC3402_05/1120?r=0&s=1">pp. 6876</a>, <a href="https://parl.canadiana.ca/view/oop.debates_HOC3402_05/1160?r=0&s=1">6916</a>, <a href="https://parl.canadiana.ca/view/oop.debates_HOC3402_05/1185?r=0&s=1">6941</a>, <a href="https://parl.canadiana.ca/view/oop.debates_HOC3402_05/1247?r=0&s=1">7003</a>
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<h2 class="f-ContextResoEdNotePostscriptTitle">Context</h2>
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<p class="g-ContextResoEdNotePostscript">
On December 13, 1989, Mr. Francis LeBlanc (Cape Breton Highlands Canso) rose pursuant to Standing Order 52 to ask for leave to move the adjournment of the House to discuss recent and anticipated fish plant closings in the Atlantic fishery.<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><sup>[1]</sup></a> The Speaker denied leave for the emergency debate. The following day, December 14, 1989, Mr. LeBlanc once again sought an emergency debate on this matter,<a href="#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title=""><sup>[2]</sup></a> and leave was again denied, on this occasion by the Deputy Speaker. On December 15, 1989, Mr. LeBlanc once again sought an emergency debate on this matter and leave was granted by the Speaker.<a href="#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title=""><sup>[3]</sup></a> The decisions of the Chair Occupants on those three days are reproduced below.
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<h2 class="h-StatementDecisionChair">DECISIONS OF THE CHAIR</h2>
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<time>On December 13, 1989:</time>
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<b>Mr. Speaker:</b> The honourable Member for Cape Breton Highlands—Canso has raised a matter in which he is petitioning the Chair to set aside the ordinary business of the day and proceed to an emergency debate on an issue which is a very serious one.
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<p class="j-SpeakerPara2">
I think all honourable Members can understand perfectly why the honourable Member, coming from that part of the country, is raising this matter.
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<p class="j-SpeakerPara2">
A great deal of anxiety has already been indicated in this Chamber by other honourable Members on both sides of the House. There was very extensive debate today on the matter. That debate may very well continue in Question Period and other places. I will be watching with very great care the questions and the responses of the Government.
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<p class="j-SpeakerPara2">
Under the circumstances I am not going to order a debate today. The honourable Member may have good reason to apply at another time. I thank the honourable Member for bringing the matter to the attention of the House. As I have said, he is open to raise the matter again at another time.
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<p class="d-DecisionDate">
<time>On December 14, 1989:</time>
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<p class="i-SpeakerPara1">
<b>Mr. Deputy Speaker (Mr. Marcel Danis):</b> The matter raised by the Member for Cape Breton Highlands—Canso is no doubt a most serious and important matter. For that reason I will consider it before giving a decision, which I would intend to give at three o'clock....
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<p class="j-SpeakerPara2">
The Chair received this morning an application under Standing Order 52 for an emergency debate. I have given careful consideration to the request made by the member for Cape Breton Highlands—Canso and at this time the debate will not be granted.
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<p class="d-DecisionDate">
<time>On December 15, 1989:</time>
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<p class="i-SpeakerPara1">
<b>Mr. Speaker:</b> I thank the honourable Member. As honourable Members will know, the honourable member for Cape Breton Highlands—Canso has been rising repeatedly with requests for an emergency debate on fisheries matters in the Maritimes and Newfoundland and Labrador. I am acceding to the request and I am setting the debate for eight o'clock on Monday night.
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<p class="ReferenceNumber">
F0812-e
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<p class="LegislatureSession">
34-2
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<p class="DateYearMonthDay">
1989-12-13
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<p class="DateYearMonthDay">
1989-12-14
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<p class="DateYearMonthDay">
1989-12-15
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<div id="ftn1">
<p class="m-Footnote"><a href="#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><sup>[1]</sup></a> Debates, December 13, 1989, <a href="https://parl.canadiana.ca/view/oop.debates_HOC3402_05/1119?r=0&s=1">pp. 6875-6</a>.</p>
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<div id="ftn2">
<p class="m-Footnote"><a href="#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><sup>[2]</sup></a> Debates, December 14, 1989, <a href="https://parl.canadiana.ca/view/oop.debates_HOC3402_05/1160?r=0&s=1">p. 6916</a>.</p>
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<div id="ftn3">
<p class="m-Footnote"><a href="#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" title=""><sup>[3]</sup></a> Debates, December 15, 1989, <a href="https://parl.canadiana.ca/view/oop.debates_HOC3402_05/1247?r=0&s=1">p. 7003</a>.</p>
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Edit Metadata
Holding
"The denial of unanimous consent (leave) does not constitute a decision on the substance of a motion, and therefore the same question rule does not prevent a member from repeating the request for leave on a subsequent day."
AI Summary
The Speaker ruled that a request for unanimous consent can be repeated on a subsequent day because the initial denial of leave is not a substantive decision by the House.
AI Analysis
- Outcome
- Denied
- Tone
- Educational
- Procedural Stage
- Routine Proceedings
- Significance
Low
High
AI Keywords
Cited Authorities
- Beauchesne's Parliamentary Rules and Forms (Sixth Edition)
- Erskine May (Twenty-first Edition)