Routine Proceedings / Motions

Time allocation

Journals pp. 1013-4

Debates pp. 10846-7

Background

At the beginning of Routine Proceedings, Mr. MacEachen (President of the Privy Council) proposed a motion to allocate time for all remaining stages of Bill C-176, an Act to establish the National Farm Products Marketing Council. Mr. McIntosh (Swift Current-Maple Creek), on a question of privilege, asked the Chair to explain the rights of an independent private Member when this type of motion results from an agreement reached among the recognized parties under the provisions of the Standing Orders. The Speaker ruled immediately.

Issue

Are the rights of an independent Member infringed when all the parties agree on an allocation of time?

Decision

No. In this case the Speaker will only deal with representatives of existing parties as indicated in the Standing Orders.

Reasons given by the Speaker

The Standing Orders appear to be drafted so that the parties acknowledged as such in the House would be the only entities to be recognized for the purpose of interpreting these Standing Orders. In this case, an independent Member would not receive the recognition accorded to Members represented by a party spokesperson.

Sources cited

Standing Order 75A, B, C.

References

Debates, December 31, 1971, p. 10846.