Precedence and Sequence of Business / Superseding Motion

Orders of the Day; moving on a point of order

Debates pp. 10348-9

Background

Immediately after a question of privilege was raised and dealt with in the House, Mr. Deans (Hamilton Mountain) was recognized by the Speaker on a point of order. Mr. Deans then moved that the House proceed to Orders of the Day. The Speaker indicated to Mr. Deans that he had been recognized on a point of order and there fore the motion was not in order. Mr. Deans argued that he had not sought the floor on a point of order but rather on the matter which had been before the House immediately prior to the hearing of the question of privilege. The Speaker ruled immediately.

Issue

Is a motion that the House proceed to Orders of the Day in order if the Member was recognized on a point of order?

Decision

No. The motion is out of order.

Reasons given by the Speaker

After Question Period the Speaker presented the report of the Clerk of Petitions and then heard a question of privilege. There was no proceeding before the House until the Chair called some matter under Routine Proceedings. Therefore, the Member was recognized on a point of order, because there would have to have been something substantive before the House for him to be recognized on anything other than a point of order.