Ruling
April 28, 1987
Application accepted; leave of House granted; guidelines - Speaker not bound to give reasons
Hon. John Fraser
Speaker of the House
Ruling Text
Mr. Speaker:
I have, of course, received notice of the application of the honourable Member for Prince Albert and I find that it meets the requirements of the Standing Order. Does the honourable Member have leave to move the adjournment of the House under Standing Order 29 for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter?
The Chair may be in some difficulty here. The Chair has granted leave, the House has not. This is not a debatable matter, but I will hear the Parliamentary Secretary.
Under the Standing Orders this is not a debatable matter. Honourable Members will remember that when this Order was changed there was considerable thought put into it, resulting in the order as it now stands. It is not debatable because the honourable Members of this place who worked this Order out felt that that was not appropriate. Also the intention was expressed at the time that the Chair not give reasons for why it decided to accept an Order. The reason for that was that it was believed by honourable Members that a body of jurisprudence, which would undoubtedly build up on these matters, would lead to a tendency for debate. As a consequence, the Order is as it is.
Having considered the matter and accepted the application the Chair is in the hands of the House. That is why, under the Orders, the Chair, having accepted it, then puts the question to the House.
The honourable Parliamentary Secretary raises another matter, which is not a matter of slight importance at all, that is whether or not the appropriate Minister may be able to be in the House. However, with the greatest of respect, I believe that is a matter which Members will have to work out for themselves.
I think I am bound, as Speaker, to put the question. Does the honourable Member have leave to move the adjournment of the House under Standing Order 29 for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter?
Some honourable Members:
Agreed.
Mr. Speaker:
The proposed motion shall stand over until 8 p.m. this day.
Postscript Following amendments to the Standing Orders adopted in June 1987, the leave of the House was no longer required in order for an emergency debate to take place.
F0805-e 33-2 1987-04-28.
[1]
Debates, April 28, 1987, p. 5302.
Edit Metadata
Holding
"Once the Speaker accepts an application for an emergency debate as meeting the requirements of the Standing Orders, the question of granting leave is not debatable and must be put directly to the House."
AI Summary
The Speaker ruled that an application for an emergency debate was in order and that the subsequent question of granting leave is not debatable under the Standing Orders.
AI Analysis
- Outcome
- Sustained
- Tone
- Educational
- Procedural Stage
- Routine Proceedings
- Significance
Low
High