Inside Politics

WhipWatch Extra: It's beginning to feel a lot like Parliamentmas ...

by Kady O'Malley Posted: February 25, 2010 3:47 PM Last Updated: February 25, 2010 3:52 PM
As promised, here's the full text of the motions that Government Whip Gordon O'Connor has put forward for discussion with his fellow whips, courtesy of the DonOLO Cut'N'Paste Unit. (I could just say "obtained by CBC.ca" all mysterious-like, but I like to give the source for such material whenever possible.) 

A quick scan reveals no obvious bits of procedural mischief afoot; really, these seem to be entirely routine routine motions. Anyway, if the opposition parties agree, the first Question Period of the new session will apparently take place on Thursday -- before the budget, as is traditional -- and the committees should be up and running within the requested three days. Hurray! 

Finally, for those of you who were still fretting that the government would uncover some arcane yet ingenious procedural loophole to get around its promise to restart the Afghanistan committee as soon as the House was back, or -- I don't know, tweak the membership so the Conservatives would get 11 seats and the opposition parties would have to share one, Motion 6 should be at least a little bit reassuring, despite the absence of a firm date for the committee's return; that's most likely because that particular item is likely the object of lively pre-session negotiations amongst the parties:  

MOTION 1

I move for leave to introduce a Bill respecting the administration of Oaths of Office and seek the unanimous consent of the House to have the bill printed.

MOTION 2

That, for the calendar year 2010 in the present Parliament, Standing Order 81 (4) be amended by replacing the words "March 1" with the words "March 3".

       
MOTION 3
 That, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practices of the House, on Thursday, March 4, 2010, the House shall meet at 2:00 p.m. when members may make statements pursuant to Standing Order 31; not later than 2:15 p.m. oral questions shall be taken up; and at 3:00 p.m. the House shall proceed to the ordinary daily routine of business; following the ordinary daily routine of business the House shall, if necessary, suspend until 4:00 p.m. for the presentation of the Budget.

MOTION 4

That, notwithstanding the calendar tabled by the Speaker pursuant to Standing Order 28(2)(b), the House sit during the week of March 15 to 19, 2010 and the week of April 12 to 16, 2010.

MOTION 5

That, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practices of the House, after consultation with the party whips, the Clerk of the House be authorized to convene a meeting of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs later this day;

That the first report of the said committee concerning the membership and associate membership of standing and standing joint committees be deemed concurred in upon presentation; and,

That, for all standing committees, routine motions in effect at the time of prorogation of the previous session be deemed to have been adopted in the current session, provided that committees be empowered to alter or rescind such motions as they deem appropriate. 

 
MOTION 6

That a special committee be appointed to consider the Canadian mission in Afghanistan consisting of 12 members which shall include six members from the government party, three members from the Official Opposition, two members from the Bloc Québécois and one member from the New Democratic Party, provided that the Chair shall be from the government party; that in addition to the Chair, there shall be one Vice-Chair; that the members to serve on the said committee be appointed by the Whip of each party depositing with the Clerk of the House a list of his or her party's members of the committee no later than March XX, 2010; that the quorum of the special committee be seven members for any proceedings, provided that at least one member of the government party and one member from the opposition be present; that membership substitutions be permitted to be made from time to time, if required, in the manner provided for in Standing Order 114(2); and that the committee have all of the powers of a standing committee as provided in the Standing Orders, as well as the power to travel, accompanied by the necessary staff, inside and outside of Canada, subject to the usual authorization from the House; that the evidence and documentation received by the Special Committee on the Canadian Mission in Afghanistan during the Second Session of the 40th Parliament be referred to this committee and taken into consideration in this session;

that the committee shall:

(a) meet regularly with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, National Defence and Public Safety and senior officials so that the special committee can make frequent recommendations on the conduct and progress of Canada's efforts in Afghanistan;

(b) review the laws and procedures governing the use of operational and national security exceptions for the withholding of information from Parliament, the Courts and the Canadian people with those responsible for administering those laws and procedures, to ensure that Canadians are being provided with ample information on the conduct and progress of the mission

MOTION 7

 That, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practice of the House, for the remainder of the current session, the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs shall have the same power with respect to the membership of special committees that it has with respect to the membership of standing committees pursuant to Standing Order 114(4).

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