PROC Committee Meeting

The Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs met at 11:00 a.m. this day, in Room 112-N, Centre Block, the Chair, Joe Preston, presiding.

The Committee commenced its clause-by-clause study of the Bill.

Pursuant to Standing Order 75(1), consideration of the Preamble and Clause 1, Short Title, were postponed.

The Chair called Clause 2.

Clause 2 was negatived on the following recorded division: YEAS: Alexandrine Latendresse, Craig Scott, Scott Simms — 3; NAYS: Tom Lukiwski, Dave MacKenzie, Ted Opitz, Scott Reid, Blake Richards — 5.

Clause 3 was negatived on the following recorded division: YEAS: Alexandrine Latendresse, Craig Scott, Scott Simms — 3; NAYS: Tom Lukiwski, Dave MacKenzie, Ted Opitz, Scott Reid, Blake Richards — 5.

On Clause 4,

(a) replacing line 21 on page 2 with the following:

“4.(1) Paragraph 67(4)(c) of the Act is re-”

(b) replacing lines 24 and 25 on page 2 with the following:

“signed by the person or persons authorized by the political party to endorse prospective candidates that”

(c) adding after line 27 on page 2 the following:

“(2) Section 67 of the Act is amended by adding the following after subsection (4):

(5) The chief agent of every political party shall, in writing, no later than 25 days before polling day, report to the Chief Electoral Officer the names of the person or persons who are authorized by the party to endorse prospective candidates.”

Craig Scott moved, — That the amendment be amended by adding a new section 67(5): “Within one month of the convening of a new Parliament after a general election, the chief agent of every political party shall report, in writing, to the Chief Electoral Officer the institutional position or positions of the person or persons who will be authorized by the party under subsection (6) to endorse prospective candidates.”

After debate, the question was put on the subamendment of Craig Scott and it was negatived on the following recorded division: YEAS: Alexandrine Latendresse, Craig Scott, Scott Simms — 3; NAYS: Tom Lukiwski, Dave MacKenzie, Ted Opitz, Scott Reid, Blake Richards — 5.

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Tom Lukiwski and it was agreed to.

The Chair ruled that the following two (2) amendments were consequential to the previous amendment and therefore they were also adopted:

“6. Subsection 383(2) of the Act is replaced by the following:

(2) A registered party and an eligible party shall include with the statement or report referred to in subsection (1) a statement certified by its chief agent that sets out the names of the person or persons who are authorized by the party to endorse prospective candidates at a general election.”

That Bill C-586, in Clause 11, be amended by

(a) replacing line 23 on page 6 with the following:

“4 of this Act and section 27 of the other Act”

(b) replacing lines 28 and 29 on page 6 with the following:

“signed by the person or persons authorized by the political party to endorse prospective candidates that”

(c) replacing line 32 on page 6 to line 7 on page 7 with the following:

“(3) On the first day on which both section 6 of this Act and section 86 of the other Act are in force, subsection 406(2) of the Canada Elections Act is replaced by the following:

(2) A registered party and an eligible party shall include with the statement or report referred to in subsection (1) a statement certified by its chief agent that sets out the names of the person or persons who are authorized by the party to endorse prospective candidates at a general election.”

Clause 4, as amended, carried.

Clause 5 was negatived.

Clause 6, as amended, carried.

Clause 7 was negatived.

Clause 8 was negatived.

On Clause 9,

“member with the longest period of unbroken service in the House of Commons as determined by reference to the Canada Gazette.”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Tom Lukiwski and it was agreed to.

“49.8 (1) At its first meeting following a general election, the caucus of every party that has a recognized membership of 12 or more persons in the House of Commons shall conduct a separate vote among the caucus members in respect of each of the following questions:

(a) whether sections 49.2 and 49.3 are to apply in respect of the caucus;

(b) whether section 49.4 is to apply in respect of the caucus;

(c) whether subsections 49.5(1) to (3) are to apply in respect of the caucus; and

(d) whether subsection 49.5(4) and section 49.6 are to apply in respect of the caucus.

(2) Each vote is to be presided over by the caucus member with the longest period of unbroken service in the House of Commons as determined by reference to the Canada Gazette.

(3) The vote of each caucus member, in each vote, is to be recorded.

(4) The provisions referred to in each of paragraphs (1)(a) to (d) apply only if a majority of all caucus members vote in favour of their applicability.

(5) As soon as feasible after the conduct of the votes, the chair of the caucus shall inform the Speaker of the House of Commons of the outcome of each vote.

(6) The outcome of each vote is binding on the caucus until the next dissolution of Parliament.”

Craig Scott moved, — That the amendment be amended by replacing the words “At its” with the words “Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, at its”

After debate, the question was put on the subamendment of Craig Scott and it was negatived on the following recorded division: YEAS: Alexandrine Latendresse, Craig Scott, Scott Simms — 3; NAYS: Tom Lukiwski, Dave MacKenzie, Ted Opitz, Scott Reid, Blake Richards — 5.

Scott Reid moved, — That the amendment be amended by replacing the following paragraph: “(2) Each vote is to be presided over by the caucus member with the longest period of unbroken service in the House of Commons as determined by reference to the Canada Gazette.” with “(2) Each vote, and any debate relating to the vote that may precede it, is to be presided over by the caucus member with the longest period of unbroken service in the House of Commons as determined by reference to the Canada Gazette.”

After debate, the question was put on the subamendment of Scott Reid and it was agreed to.

Craig Scott moved, — That the amendment be amended by adding in subsection (5) the following words “, in writing” after the words “each vote.”

After debate, the question was put on the subamendment of Craig Scott and it was negatived on the following recorded division: YEAS: Alexandrine Latendresse, Craig Scott, Scott Simms — 3; NAYS: Tom Lukiwski, Dave MacKenzie, Ted Opitz, Scott Reid, Blake Richards — 5.

The Chair ruled that the following subamendment was consequential to the previous subamendment and therefore it is also negatived:

That the amendment be amended by adding a new section (6): “For each caucus vote required under paragraphs (1)(a) to (d) where the caucus decides the relevant sections or subsections shall not be applicable in respect of that caucus, the chair of the caucus shall inform the Speaker, in writing, what rules do apply within that caucus to the matters that are the subject of the rejected sections of subsections.”

Craig Scott moved, — That the amendment be amended by adding a new section (7): “(7) Once the Speaker receives the information in subsections (5), she or he shall cause to be published in an accessible manner on the website of Parliament the sections and/or subsections accepted through caucus votes.”

After debate, the question was put on the subamendment of Craig Scott and it was negatived on the following recorded division: YEAS: David Christopherson, Alexandrine Latendresse, Craig Scott, Scott Simms — 4; NAYS: Tom Lukiwski, Dave MacKenzie, Ted Opitz, Scott Reid, Blake Richards — 5.

Craig Scott moved, — That the amendment be amended by adding the following paragraph: “(8)(a) Each caucus shall decide whether the outcome of each vote is binding on caucus until the next dissolution of Parliament.

(8)(b) The chair of each caucus shall inform the Speaker of what the caucus has decided and, where it has been decided one that or more votes are not binding, shall also inform the Speaker of the status of that vote or those votes.

(8)(c) The information provided under paragraph (b) shall be published on the website of Parliament in the same manner as under section 49.8(7).”

After debate, the question was put on the subamendment of Craig Scott and it was negatived on the following recorded division: YEAS: David Christopherson, Alexandrine Latendresse, Craig Scott, Scott Simms — 4; NAYS: Tom Lukiwski, Dave MacKenzie, Ted Opitz, Scott Reid, Blake Richards — 5.

The question was put on the amendment of Tom Lukiwski, as amended, and it was agreed to on division.

Clause 9, as amended, carried on division.

Clause 10 carried on division.

Clause 11, as amended, carried.

Clause 1, Short Title, carried.

The Preamble carried.

The Title carried.

The Bill, as amended, carried on division.

ORDERED, — That the Chair report the Bill, as amended, to the House.

ORDERED, — That Bill C-586, as amended, be reprinted for the use of the House at report stage.

At 11:42 a.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.