Routine Proceedings / Presenting Reports from Standing and Special Committees

Presenting reports from standing and special committees

Journals p. 586

Debates pp. 6171-2

Background

During Routine Proceedings, Mr. McGrath (St. John's East) rose on a point of order to request the withdrawal of a committee report on the estimates of the Department of Regional Economic Expansion tabled in the House earlier that day. Mr. McGrath alleged that the report had not been properly adopted by the committee because membership changes had been made in the committee after he had moved a motion regarding estimates. He also maintained that no vote could have been taken in committee to recommend the estimates to the House, as the report claimed, because the bells had begun to call Members to the House and the departure of a number of Members from the committee meant there had been no quorum.

Issue

Are there grounds for the Member's allegations of impropriety during adoption of the report in committee?

Decision

No. The procedure followed was in accordance with the Standing Orders.

Reasons given by the Speaker

Given that committees sometimes study the same question for several weeks, "it would seem to be most impractical for the House to adopt the position that the membership of committees should not be altered while a motion is under debate or under consideration in committee." The Standing Orders provide "that Standing Committees may sit while the House is sitting . . . but the question of a quorum should [be] resolved in committee ... [T]he report could be returned to the committee, but there is the question of whether any useful purpose would be served in doing so [since, pursuant to the Standing Orders] all estimates will be deemed to have been reported back to the House not later than next Monday". Supply proceedings in the House will "provide other opportunities to bring under review either the report of the committee or vote number (1) of the Department of Regional Economic Expansion".

Sources cited

Standing Orders 58(14), 65(4)(b) and 65(8).

References

Journals, May 28, 1971, p. 585.

Debates, May 28, 1971, pp. 6154, 6165.