Precedence and Sequence of Business / Superseding Motion

Adjournment; pending at ordinary time of adjournment; motion lapses

Journals p. 5900

Debates p. 25530

Background

At the beginning of the sitting, when the House had resumed consideration of the motion of Mr. Cosgrove (Minister of State for Finance) on second reading of Bill C-151, An Act to provide Supplementary Borrowing Authority, Mr. Thacker (Lethbridge—Foothills) moved, "That this House do now adjourn." The Acting Speaker (Mr. Corbin) put the question and a recorded division was requested. When the division bells were still ringing at the ordinary time of adjournment, the Speaker made a ruling.

Issue

Should a motion to adjourn the House lapse when it has not yet been voted on at the ordinary time of adjournment?

Decision

Yes. The House adjourns without voting on the motion.

Reasons given by the Speaker

According to one authority, "motions for the adjournment of the House... pending at the moment of interruption, lapse without question put". In this case, as the House had not seen fit to vote on the motion by 6:00 p.m., the Chair is obliged to follow the Standing Orders, that is, to adjourn the House until the next sitting day. This ruling does not affect the normal procedures of the House regarding the right to move a dilatory motion and the practice of having the Whips indicate when the House is ready to vote.

Sources cited

Standing Order 8(1).

May, 19th ed., p. 295.

References

Debates, May 17, 1983, pp. 25529-30.