Rules of Debate / Miscellaneous

Right to speak when process of putting motion to a vote has begun

Debates p. 11624

Background

During the debate on the motion to adjourn the House for the summer, and as the Acting Speaker (Mr. Blaker) asked the House for permission to dispense with the reading of the text oft he motion before putting it to a vote, Mr. Kilgour (Edmonton—Strathcona) rose on a point of order to maintain that the debate must continue because he wished to speak to the motion. After hearing Members' comments, the Acting Speaker (Mr. Blaker) suspended the sitting and the Speaker ruled later during the same sitting.

Issue

When the Chair asks the House to dispense with the reading of the text of a motion before putting it to a vote, can a Member still be heard on the motion which was about to be put?

Decision

Yes. The Chair must give the floor to a Member even when the process of putting a motion to a vote has begun but has not yet been completed.

Reasons given by the Speaker

According to one authority, there are three essential and clearly defined stages in obtaining a decision of the House: first, the moving of a motion; then, the proposing of a question by the Chair; and finally, the putting of the question and the counting of votes. The practice has been that the Chair recognizes a Member who rises to ask a question or to make a point of order, even if the process has been started but not yet completed. The right of Members to express themselves is the most sacred right the Speaker must protect.

Sources cited

Debates, December 4, 1962, pp. 2287-8.

Beauchesne, 4th ed., p. 53, c. 63.

May, 19th ed., p. 364.

References

Debates, July 16, 1981, pp. 11620-4.