Amendments to the Content of Bills / Report Stage

Relevance; beyond scope of bill

Journals p. 947

Debates pp. 7969-71

Background

During report stage consideration of Bill C-150, an Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Parole Act ..., the Speaker made a statement regarding the procedural acceptability of four proposed motions in amendment. Two of the motions were in the name of Mrs. Maclnnis (Vancouver-Kingsway); the other two were in the names of Mr. Woolliams (Calgary North) and Mr. Rodrigue (Beauce), respectively. The motions appeared to be beyond the scope of the bill as they sought to replace certain sections and subsections of the Criminal Code related to abortion.

Issue

Can motions in amendment change sections of a parent act through amendments to clauses in an amending bill?

Decision

No. Such motions are irrelevant to the present bill and beyond its scope. Reasons given by the Speaker: By attempting to repeal a section or subsection of the Criminal Code which is not presently before the House, these motions in amendment constitute a new legislative proposal. An amendment at report stage cannot go beyond the scope of the bill before the House nor can it use the amending bill to amend sections of the parent act not specifically under discussion in the proposed legislation.

References

Debates, April 25, 1969, pp. 7962-9.