Introduction Daily Business Daily Proceedings Prayers National Anthem Statements by Members Oral Questions (Question Period) Routine Proceedings Tabling of Documents Introduction of Government Bills Statements by Ministers Presenting Reports from Interparliamentary Delegations Presenting Reports from Committees Introduction of Private Members Bills First Reading of Senate Public Bills Motions Presenting Petitions Questions on the Order Paper Government Orders Private Members Business Adjournment Proceedings (Late Show) Other Weekly Business Special Debates Addresses by Distinguished Visitors More Information Typical Sitting Day INTRODUCTION The daily business of the House of Commons is taken up according to a sequence set out in the Standing Orders (rules of the House). The House convenes on Mondays at 11:00 a.m., on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 10:00 a.m., and on Wednesdays at 2:00 p.m. The Chamber usually adjourns by 7:00 p.m., except on Friday when it rises at 2:30 p.m. DAILY BUSINESS All items of business that can be dealt with on a given day are listed on the daily Order Paper, the official agenda of the House. The daily activities of the House are generally grouped into five categories: Daily Proceedings; Routine Proceedings; Government Orders; Private Members Business; and Adjournment Proceedings. DETAILED ARTICLES Daily Order of Business Order Paper Order of Business [Parliamentary Publications] 1 of 7
DAILY PROCEEDINGS The Daily Proceedings include three events: Prayers (followed by the National Anthem on Wednesdays); Statements by Members; and Oral Questions. Prayers At the beginning of each sitting of the House, following the ceremonial Speaker s parade, the Speaker takes the Chair. After it has been confirmed that a quorum of 20 Members is present, the Speaker reads the prayer. The House pauses for a moment of silent reflection when the prayer is finished. National Anthem On Wednesdays, Members sing the national anthem at the opening of the sitting. After the prayer has been read, but before the doors are opened to admit the public, the Speaker recognizes a Member to lead the House in singing the national anthem. On all other days, the Speaker orders the doors opened immediately following the prayer and silent reflection, and the proceedings of the House begin. DETAILED ARTICLES Speaker s Parade Prayers Quorum Statements by Members At 2:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, the Speaker calls Statements by Members. During this 15-minute period, any Member who is not a Minister is permitted to address the House for up to one minute on virtually any matter of local, provincial, national or international concern. DETAILED ARTICLE Statements by Members Oral Questions (Question Period) Following Statements by Members, at no later than 2:15 p.m. (11:15 a.m. on Friday), Question Period takes place for a maximum of 45 minutes. At this time, Members may question the Government on all matters within its jurisdiction. DETAILED ARTICLE Question Period [Questions] ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS Routine Proceedings also referred to as the daily routine of business, consists of several categories of business that provide Members with an opportunity to bring a variety of matters to the attention of the House. The amount of time required to complete Routine Proceedings varies from day to day depending on the number of items to be dealt with. DETAILED ARTICLE Routine Proceedings The separate headings or rubrics that make up Routine Proceedings are: 2 of 7
Tabling of Documents A Minister, or his or her Parliamentary Secretary, may table any report or paper on any topic within the administrative competence of the Government. The Government is also required to table a variety of documents either by statute, by order of the House, or by Standing Order. The Speaker may also table certain documents just prior to the announcement of the Tabling of Documents rubric. The Speaker tables reports from Officers of Parliament such as the Auditor General, the Information and Privacy Commissioners as well as reports on his/her interparliamentary exchange trips and reports relating to the administration of the House of Commons. DETAILED ARTICLE Tabling of Documents Introduction of Government Bills Government legislation is first presented to the House under this rubric. DETAILED ARTICLE Introduction and First Reading of Bills [Legislative Process] Statements by Ministers Under this heading, Ministers may make announcements or statements on government policy or matters of national interest. Following a ministerial statement, a spokesperson from each recognized opposition party is permitted to respond. DETAILED ARTICLE Statements by Ministers Presenting Reports from Interparliamentary Delegations Canada's international and interparliamentary relations are carried out in part through formal parliamentary associations that operate on multilateral and bilateral levels to promote Canada's interests abroad. Interparliamentary delegations are required to present to the House reports on any trip taken in fulfillment of their duties, either in Canada or abroad, within 20 sitting days of their return to Ottawa. DETAILED ARTICLES Presenting Reports from Interparliamentary Delegations Parliamentary Associations Interparliamentary Groups Presenting Reports from Committees Information, requests and recommendations from standing, special or legislative committees and standing or special joint committees are transmitted to the House by way of reports under Presenting Reports from Committees. A report may be presented by the committee chair, or in his or her absence, by a member of the committee. If the committee has adopted a motion to request a response from the Government to its report, that request is communicated orally at the time that it is presented. When a committee has appended supplementary or dissenting opinions or recommendations to its report, a committee member representing the Official Opposition may provide a brief explanation of these views. DETAILED ARTICLE Presentation of a Committee Report in the House of Commons [Committees] 3 of 7
Introduction of Private Members Bills Public bills sponsored by any Member who is not a Minister are introduced under this heading. DETAILED ARTICLE Private Members Bills Notice, Introduction and First Reading [Private Members Business] First Reading of Senate Public Bills When a Senate public bill has been passed by the Senate, a message is sent to inform the House. The bill is placed on the Order Paper under the heading First Reading of Senate Public Bills. When the Member or Minister sponsoring the bill in the House signals his or her desire to proceed when the heading is called, the motion for first reading is deemed carried without debate, amendment or question put. DETAILED ARTICLE First Reading of Senate Public Bills Motions When the Speaker calls Motions during Routine Proceedings, any Minister or Member may rise and move a motion provided that it has been placed on the Notice Paper at least 48 hours in advance. Otherwise, a Minister or Member must seek unanimous consent to move the motion. Examples of motions moved under this rubric include those to manage the business and calendar of the House or its committees, including concurrence in committee reports and to modify House rules. DETAILED ARTICLE Motions (Routine Proceedings) Presenting Petitions This daily period is provided for the presentation by Members of Parliament of petitions from the Canadian public wishing to bring their concerns to the attention of Parliament. This period is limited to 15 minutes. Before being presented, a petition must be examined and certified correct as to form and content by the Clerk of Petitions. Although Members may make a brief statement about the petitions, no debate is permitted during the presentation of petitions. DETAILED ARTICLES Petitions Presenting Petitions Form and Content of Petitions Guidelines Government Responses to Petitions Recommended Forms of Petitions Questions on the Order Paper Members may have placed on notice, at any one time, up to four written questions to the Government relating to public affairs. A Member may ask for a response to a specific question within 45 calendar days and may also ask that an oral answer be provided to up to three of his or her questions. When Questions on the Order Paper is called, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Government House Leader announces which questions the Government intends to answer that day. DETAILED ARTICLE Placing Written Questions on the Order Paper [Questions] 4 of 7
GOVERNMENT ORDERS Items of business proposed by Ministers which the House has ordered for consideration are classed as Government Orders. These items fall under the following headings: Business of Supply; Ways and Means Proceedings; Government Bills (Commons); Government Bills (Senate); and Government Business. Government Orders occupies most of the sitting day and the choice of what items will be debated under this heading is made exclusively by the Government. Although the Government does not select the subject matter of the motion debated on an allotted or opposition day under the Business of Supply, it designates the day on which the item will be taken up. The motion is considered under Government Orders. DETAILED ARTICLE Government Orders PRIVATE MEMBERS BUSINESS Each day, one hour of House time is set aside for Private Members Business during which bills and motions sponsored by private Members are considered. Only one bill or motion may be debated per day during this hour. Private Members Business commences at 11:00 a.m. on Mondays, 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and 1:30 p.m. on Friday. DETAILED ARTICLE Private Members Business [General Article] ADJOURNMENT PROCEEDINGS (LATE SHOW) Adjournment proceedings, also referred to as the late show, are held from 6:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, after which the House adjourns. This debate, which runs for a maximum of 30 minutes, allows for brief exchanges between Members and Ministers or Parliamentary Secretaries on predetermined topics. The Speaker must indicate to the House, at no later than 5:00 p.m., which matter or matters are to be raised that day. DETAILED ARTICLE Adjournment Proceedings (Late Show) [Questions] OTHER WEEKLY BUSINESS A variety of other business items come before the House during the sitting week, although not on a daily basis: Weekly Business Statement (Thursday Statement) Each Thursday, after Question Period, the House Leader of the Official Opposition rises to ask the Government House Leader about Government business to be considered by the House in the succeeding days or week. The Government House Leader then outlines what business the Government intends to bring forward. This practice is commonly known as the Business Statement or the Thursday Statement. The statement is for information purposes only and is not binding on the Government. The Review of Delegated Legislation The Review of Delegated Legislation involves the consideration of reports concerning federal regulations from the Standing Joint Committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations. Consideration of these reports is limited to a onehour period at 1:00 p.m. on a Wednesday. 5 of 7
Notices of Motion for the Production of Papers Notices of Motion for the Production of Papers are submitted by Members in order to request documents that the Government is not obliged to present to Parliament. These motions are decided without debate when taken up on Wednesdays after Routine Proceedings. If a Minister or the Member requesting the document decides that debate on such a motion is necessary, the notice of motion is transferred for debate to Private Members Business. DETAILED ARTICLES Review of Delegated Legislation Notices of Motions for the Production of Papers [Private Members Business] SPECIAL DEBATES A variety of special debates that occur less regularly, are also provided for by the Standing Orders of the House of Commons. They include: Debate on the Standing Orders and Procedure a one-day debate on the rules and procedures of the House held within the first 90 sitting days of each Parliament; Emergency Debates debates on pressing matters held outside the ordinary sitting hours of the House; Estimates Debates in Committee of the Whole special debates held in Committee of the Whole (the House sitting as a committee) during May on the Estimates of two selected departments or agencies; Statutory Debates special debates to review specific statutory provisions. The requirements for these debates are included in the statutes themselves; Suspension of Certain Standing Orders a debate held when the House is asked to suspend certain Standing Orders in relation to any business that the Government considers urgent; and Take Note Debates debates held when the House wishes to take note of an issue, allowing Members to state their views without the requirement that a decision be reached. DETAILED ARTICLES Debate on the Standing Orders and Procedure Emergency Debates Estimates Debates in Committee of the Whole Statutory Debates Suspension of Certain Standing Orders Special Debate Take-note Debates Committees of the Whole [Committees] ADDRESSES BY DISTINGUISHED VISITORS From time to time, the House of Commons Chamber is the site for a joint address to Parliament by a distinguished visitor (usually a head of state or head of government). For these addresses, the practice has normally been for the House of Commons to adopt a motion for a joint address. The motion usually provides for the address and related speeches to be appended to Hansard, and includes the date and time of the adjournment of the House to hear the address, as well as permission for the media to broadcast the event. DETAILED ARTICLE Addresses by Distinguished Visitors MORE INFORMATION House of Commons Procedure and Practice, Second Edition, 2009 Chapter 9, Sittings of the House Chapter 10, The Daily Program Standing Orders of the House of Commons 6 of 7
Chapter III, Sittings of the House of Commons Chapter IV, Daily Program at (613) 996-3611 or by e-mail at trbdrb@parl.gc.ca. Modified: February 2010 7 of 7
DAILY ORDER OF BUSINESS The daily order of business is the recurring sequence of business for each sitting day. The daily business of the House is taken up according to a predetermined sequence outlined in the rules of the House. All items of business that can be dealt with on a given day are listed on the daily Order Paper, the official agenda of the House. The daily activities of the House are generally grouped into five categories: Daily Proceedings; Routine Proceedings; Government Orders; Private Members Business; and Adjournment Proceedings. The Daily Proceedings include three events in the daily schedule: Prayers (followed by the National Anthem on Wednesdays), Statements by Members and Oral Questions. The Daily Routine of Business, or Routine Proceedings as it is more commonly known, consists of separate categories of business usually referred to as rubrics and includes, among other items, tabling of documents, statements by Ministers and the introduction of bills sponsored by either the Government or private Members. Government Orders include any item of business proposed by a Minister which the House has ordered for consideration. Each day one hour of House time is set aside for Private Members Business during which bills and motions sponsored by Members who are not Ministers are considered. The Adjournment Proceedings are the final category of business considered on a sitting day (Fridays excepted). (The Daily Order of Business table is available on the Parliament of Canada Web site.)
SPEAKER S PARADE Immediately before a sitting commences, a ceremonial procession known as the Speaker s Parade makes its way from the Speaker s chambers along the Hall of Honour to the House of Commons Chamber. The procession is led by the Sergeant-at-Arms or his or her deputy bearing the Mace; he or she is followed by the Speaker, a page carrying the prayers for the Speaker s use prior to the opening of the sitting, the Clerk of the House and other Table Officers. As the parade enters the Chamber, Members rise while the Speaker makes his or her way to the Chair. The Sergeant-at-Arms pauses until the Speaker has taken the Chair, then places the Mace on the end of the Clerk s Table, bows and takes his or her seat at the Bar of the House. Once satisfied that a quorum is present, the Speaker reads the prayer, presides over a moment of silence and then opens the sitting. In the absence of the Speaker, the Presiding Officer for the sitting takes the Speaker s place in the parade. At the end of a sitting, the Speaker adjourns the House and then exits the Chamber, this time, through the doors behind the Chair, preceded only by the Sergeant-at-Arms bearing the Mace. RELATED ARTICLES Quorum Prayers
PRAYERS Before the doors of the Chamber are opened to the public at the beginning of each sitting of the House, the Speaker takes the Chair and reads the prayer before any business is considered. While the prayer is being read, the Speaker, the Members and the Table Officers all stand. The text of the prayer is as follows: Almighty God, we give thanks for the great blessings which have been bestowed on Canada and its citizens, including the gifts of freedom, opportunity and peace that we enjoy. We pray for our Sovereign, Queen Elizabeth, and the Governor General. Guide us in our deliberations as Members of Parliament, and strengthen us in our awareness of our duties and responsibilities as Members. Grant us wisdom, knowledge, and understanding to preserve the blessings of this country for the benefit of all and to make good laws and wise decisions. Amen. The prayer is followed by a moment of silence for private reflection and meditation. At the end of the moment of silence, the Speaker orders the doors opened, and the proceedings of the House begin. At this point, television coverage of the proceedings commences and Members guests and the public enter the visitors galleries.
QUORUM Under the Constitution Act, 1867, a quorum of 20 Members, including the Speaker, is required to constitute a meeting of the House for the exercise of its powers. This constitutional requirement is reiterated in the Standing Orders, which also set out the procedure where there appears to be an absence of quorum in the House. Should a quorum appear not to exist at the time the House is scheduled to meet, a count of the House is taken by the Speaker. If fewer than 20 Members are present, the Speaker adjourns the House until the next sitting day. During a Sitting During a sitting, any Member may draw the attention of the Speaker to the lack of a quorum. If a quorum is obviously present, the Speaker may simply announce that there is a quorum and proceed with the business before the House. If there is some doubt as to there being a quorum, a count is made by the Speaker. If a quorum is present, business continues. However, if no quorum exists after the first count, the bells are rung for no longer than 15 minutes. Within that period, if a subsequent count determines that a quorum is present, the Speaker will order the bells silenced and the House will proceed with the business before it. If at the end of the 15 minutes there is still no quorum, the Speaker adjourns the House until the next sitting day and the names of the Members present are recorded in the Journals. Should the House be required to adjourn for lack of quorum, any Order of the Day either under consideration at the time or projected for later in the day retains its precedence on the Order Paper for the next sitting. RELATED ARTICLES Journals [Parliamentary Publications] Order Paper and Notice Paper [Parliamentary Publications]
STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS Statements by Members takes place at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and at 11:00 a.m. on Friday. Members who are not Ministers are permitted to address the House for up to one minute on virtually any matter of local, provincial, national or international concern. This one-minute time limit is rigorously enforced by the Speaker. If Statements by Members begins promptly at 2:00 p.m. (11:00 a.m. on Friday), the entire 15 minutes provided for these proceedings is used; at least 15 Members are typically recognized. If the start of these proceedings is delayed, the time is reduced accordingly, and could even be eliminated for that sitting. Question Period begins promptly at 2:15 p.m. (or 11:15 a.m. on Friday), regardless of whether or not a full 15 minutes was devoted to Statements by Members. Guidelines In presiding over the conduct of this daily activity, Speakers follow a number of well-defined guidelines: Members may speak on any matter of concern and not necessarily on urgent matters. Personal attacks are not permitted. The Speaker may interrupt an individual statement and ask the Member to resume his or her seat when: offensive language has been used; a Senator or the actions of the Senate have been criticized; a ruling of a court of law has been denounced; or the character of a judge has been attacked. Speakers have also cautioned Members not to: use this period to make defamatory comments about non-members; use the verbatim remarks of a private citizen as a statement; or make statements of a commercial nature. During Statements by Members, the Chair consults speaking lists provided by the Whips of the various parties and attempts to recognize government Members and Members in opposition on an equal basis. Points of order arising from Statements by Members are normally dealt with after Question Period, although unparliamentary language is usually dealt with immediately. RELATED ARTICLE Points of Order [Debate and Voting]
ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS The daily routine of business, commonly referred to as Routine Proceedings, is the time in the daily schedule when Members have an opportunity to bring a variety of matters to the attention of the House, generally without debate. Routine Proceedings takes place at the opening of the sitting at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday and Thursday, at 3:00 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday, and at 12:00 noon on Friday. This segment of the daily program is organized under separate headings or rubrics called by the Speaker each day and considered in sequence. These include: Tabling of Documents; Introduction of Government Bills; Statements by Ministers; Presenting Reports from Interparliamentary Delegations; Presenting Reports from Committees; Introduction of Private Members Bills; First Reading of Senate Public Bills; Motions; Presenting Petitions; Questions on the Order Paper. As the Speaker calls each rubric in Routine Proceedings, Members who wish to bring forward matters rise in their places and are recognized. Usually they will have indicated previously to the Chair or to the Clerks at the Table their wish to raise an item. The amount of time required to complete Routine Proceedings varies from day to day depending on the number of items dealt with under each rubric. After Routine Proceedings on Wednesday, Notices of Motions for the Production of Papers is considered immediately after Questions on the Order Paper. Applications for emergency debates are also considered after Routine Proceedings, prior to the calling of Orders of the Day. RELATED ARTICLES Tabling of Documents Introduction and First Reading of Bills [Legislative Process] Private Members Bills Notice, Introduction and First Reading [Private Members Business] Statements by Ministers Presenting Reports from Interparliamentary Delegations Presentation of a Committee Report in the House of Commons [Committees] First Reading of Senate Public Bills Motions (Routine Proceedings) Presenting Petitions Order Paper Questions [Parliamentary Publications] at (613) 996-3611 or by e-mail at trbdrb@parl.gc.ca.
TABLING OF DOCUMENTS Tabling of Documents is the first rubric under Routine Proceedings. The presentation of government reports and returns (responses) is one method by which the House of Commons obtains information. In addition to administrative documents that may be tabled in the House by Ministers, certain returns, reports and other papers are required to be laid before the House each year or session either by statute, by order of the House or pursuant to the Standing Orders. Tabling of Documents by Ministers A Minister, or his or her Parliamentary Secretary, may table any report or paper as long as it deals with a matter within the administrative competence of the Government. The Government is required to table: comprehensive responses to committee reports if requested; responses to petitions referred to it; announcements of Order-in-Council nominations or appointments; and annual reports of government departments, agencies and commissions. Any document quoted by a Minister in debate, or in response to a question, must also be tabled. All documents tabled in the House by a Minister are required to be presented in both official languages. All papers presented in the House or deposited with the Clerk are recorded in the Journals. Front Door vs. Back Door Tabling Tabling of documents in the Commons Chamber is often referred to as front door tabling. Papers required to be tabled may also be deposited by a Minister with the Clerk of the House on any sitting day. This is known as back door tabling. Tabling of Documents by Private Members Private Members are normally not allowed to table documents. However, Members have been allowed on occasion to table documents with the unanimous consent of the House; such documents have typically been tabled in only one of the official languages. Tabling of Documents by the Speaker The Speaker tables documents: pertaining to the administrative or ceremonial functions of the office of the Speaker or to the procedural affairs of the House; relating to the Board of Internal Economy; containing the annual reports of Officers of Parliament and of the Canadian Human Rights Commission; containing reports of the provincial and territorial electoral boundaries commissions; or those related to parliamentary exchanges. Tabling of Documents During Periods of Adjournment During periods of adjournment, Ministers are permitted to deposit with the Clerk of the House, on the Wednesday following the 15th day of any month, any returns, reports or other papers required to be laid before the House. RELATED ARTICLES Routine Proceedings Journals [Parliamentary Publications] at (613) 996-3611 or by e-mail at trbdrb@parl.gc.ca.
STATEMENTS BY MINISTERS During Statements by Ministers, Ministers may make brief factual statements on government policy or announcements of national interest. A representative of each officially recognized opposition party is permitted to speak in response to a Minister s statement but may not engage in debate or ask questions of the Minister. There is no explicit limitation on the time allotted to Ministers. However, the length of each response may not exceed the length of the Minister s statement and the Speaker has the discretion to limit the duration of the proceedings. A Minister is not obliged to make a statement in the House and may choose instead to make a policy announcement outside the House. While questions of privilege have been raised about Ministerial statements being made outside the Chamber, Speakers have consistently ruled that there are no grounds to support such a claim and that no privilege has been breached. The overall length of time used under this rubric is added to the time provided for Government Orders that day, thereby delaying the ordinary hour of daily adjournment. RELATED ARTICLE Government Orders
PRESENTING REPORTS FROM INTERPARLIAMENTARY DELEGATIONS Members frequently travel abroad or within Canada as part of officially recognized interparliamentary delegations representing both the House of Commons and Parliament as a whole. An officially-recognized interparliamentary delegation is composed in whole or in part of Members of the House. Within 20 sitting days of their return from travel abroad, interparliamentary delegations are required to present a report to the House on their trip. The report typically includes the names of the Members who participated on the delegation, the travel dates, and information on the delegation s activities and the cost of the trip. When presenting a report during Routine Proceedings, the head of the delegation, or a Member acting on his or her behalf, may comment briefly on the content of the report, but no debate is permitted. The Speaker tables reports related to parliamentary exchanges which he or she has led abroad, prior to the Tabling of Documents. Each report is recorded as a sessional paper and is open to public scrutiny. RELATED ARTICLE Parliamentary Associations
PARLIAMENTARY ASSOCIATIONS Parliamentary associations are international associations of parliamentarians, whose Canadian component is made up of Senators and Members. They are forums for the exchange of ideas and information and for the sharing of knowledge and experience through person-to-person contact. The main activities of these associations include exchanges, conferences and seminars with parliamentarians from other countries on various subjects of mutual interest. The Canadian Parliament is a participant in 12 international parliamentary associations. These include five bilateral associations: Canada-China Legislative Association; Canada-France Interparliamentary Association; Canada-Japan Interparliamentary Group; Canada-United Kingdom Parliamentary Association; and Canada-United States Interparliamentary Group And seven multilateral associations: Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF); Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association; Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association; Canada NATO Parliamentary Association; Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA); ParlAmericas; and Interparliamentary Union (IPU). Each association, operating under an established constitution, elects a number of parliamentarians from its membership to form an Executive Committee. The Joint Interparliamentary Council (JIC), which operates under the authority of the Speakers of the Senate and the House of Commons, is responsible for determining all budgetary and administrative matters relating to parliamentary associations. Each association must submit an annual budget and detailed work plan. The JIC apportions funds to the associations on the basis of their budget submissions from the total funding allotted by Parliament. For more information see the International and Interparliamentary Affairs Web site. Modified: November 2011
INTERPARLIAMENTARY GROUPS There are four formally recognized interparliamentary groups, composed of both Senators and Members of the House of Commons. These groups exist to increase mutual understanding between Canada and other countries through bilateral exchanges. The four interparliamentary groups are: Canada-Germany; Canada-Ireland; Canada-Israel; and Canada-Italy. Interparliamentary groups receive administrative assistance from the Senate and the House, but they do not receive funds to cover meetings and travel expenses. Their sole source of revenue is the membership fees they receive from individual parliamentarians.
FIRST READING OF SENATE PUBLIC BILLS When the Senate has passed a public bill originating there, a message is sent to the House of Commons requesting its concurrence. The Clerk of the House receives the message and informs the Speaker who announces the arrival of the bill to the House at the first convenient opportunity during a sitting. The bill is then placed on the Order Paper under the heading First Reading of Senate Public Bills during Routine Proceedings. If no Member chooses to sponsor a bill emanating from the Senate, no further action is taken; the bill remains on the Order Paper for the remainder of the session. If a Member or Minister agrees to sponsor the bill in the House, he or she indicates this when the rubric First Reading of Senate Public Bills is called, and the motion for first reading of the bill is deemed carried without debate, amendment or question put. Since a Senate public bill is already printed when it is introduced in the House, there is no need to order that it be printed yet again. After the motion for first reading is adopted, the order for second reading is placed on the Order Paper under Government Orders or at the bottom of the list in the Order of Precedence under Private Members Business, depending on the sponsor. RELATED ARTICLES Legislative Process [General Article] Senate Public Bills [Private Members Business]
MOTIONS (ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS) Motions permissible under this rubric are those for concurrence in committee reports and those relating to the sittings and proceedings of the House or of its committees. The Speaker has consistently ruled that any motion pertaining to the arrangement of the business of the House should be introduced by the Government House Leader and may be considered under Motions or under Government Orders. However, the Speaker allows certain motions placed on notice by private Members, such as motions of instruction to committees and for concurrence in committee reports. Motions moved during Routine Proceedings require 48 hours notice. However, in practice, they are often moved without notice with the unanimous consent of the House and adopted without debate. Examples of such motions include those to: manage the proceedings and business of the House or its committees; change the order of business of the House; arrange the times or days of sitting of the House; amend the Standing Orders; suspend the Standing Orders; discharge an order of the House; concur in a committee report; authorize a committee to travel; establish a special committee; instruct a committee; alter the membership of a committee; appoint officers of the House (such as the Commissioner of Official Languages, the Privacy Commissioner, the Chief Electoral Officer and the Information Commissioner); send messages to another country; and censure Chair occupants. During debate on a motion under Routine Proceedings, if a motion to proceed to the Orders of the Day is moved and adopted, the motion being debated is superseded and dropped from the Order Paper. Except in the case of a motion to concur in a committee report, when debate on any motion considered during Routine Proceedings is adjourned or interrupted, the order for resumption of the debate is transferred to Government Orders and is considered again only at the Government s initiative. In the case of a concurrence motion in a committee report, debate for up to three hours is permitted, at which time the Speaker will put all questions. Should debate on the motion be adjourned or interrupted, the motion will be slated for debate within 10 sitting days on a date set by the Government, following consultation with the House leaders of the other parties. The resumed debate occurs at the end of the sitting day and once the three hours have expired or there are no more Members wishing to speak, the Speaker will put all the questions. If a recorded division is requested, it is automatically deferred to the next Wednesday that the House is sitting and is held no later than the end of Government Orders. 1 of 2