The Special Committee on the Modernization and Improvement of the Procedures of the House of Commons has the honour to present its

THIRD REPORT

Pursuant to its Order of Reference from the House of Commons dated November 28, 2002, the Committee presented its First Report regarding Private Members’ Business on Thursday, February 20, 2003, and this was adopted by the House on the same date.

The Clerk of the House has drafted the necessary changes to the Standing Orders to reflect the recommendations contained in the First Report, and the Committee is pleased to report these to the House.

In order to implement the Committee’s First Report, we recommend the adoption of this Report which contains as Annex 1,  an amended Chapter 11 of the Standing Orders of the House of Commons, to replace  the existing Chapter 11 on a provisional basis,  beginning on March 17, 2003, until the earlier of one year or until the end of the 2^nd Session of the 37^th Parliament, as follows:

a)      No further draw will be held under the current provisions of the Standing Orders, but a draw will be held to establish the List for the Consideration of Private Members Business pursuant to the Provisional Standing Orders on Tuesday, March 18, 2003;

b)      The proceedings on the items now on the order of precedence will continue under the current Standing Orders until all those items have been disposed of by the House at their current stage. The subsequent stages of all items now on the order of precedence will be governed by the Provisional Standing Orders;

c)      The  Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs shall table in the House no later than March 28, 2003 the list of criteria for making items of Private Members` Business non-votable pursuant to Standing Order 91.1 of the Provisional Standing Orders;

d)      Subject to paragraph b) above, proceedings on all items placed on the order of precedence under the Provisional Standing Orders shall begin four sitting days after the Sub-Committee on Private Members` Business of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs has completed its consideration (no later than April 7, 2003) of the items placed on the Order of Precedence to determine whether they should be declared non-votable;

e)      The Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs shall review the new procedures at the end of the trial period, consider any changes recommended to them and report its recommendations to the House;

f)       During the transition period and the subsequent trial period, the Speaker shall be encouraged to take all reasonable measures to facilitate this pilot project. Pursuant to Standing Order 94. (1)(a), the Speaker has responsibility for ensuring the orderly conduct of Private Members’ Business;

g)      In order to promote the exchange of views during debate on items of Private Members’ Business that will come to a vote, the Standing Orders be amended to permit the mover of a motion to speak for up to fifteen minutes, followed by a period of five minutes for questions and comments and to speak again for a period of up to five minutes at the conclusion of the debate;

h)      Standing Order 68. (4)(b) and (7)(b) shall be suspended for the duration of the provisional period; and

i)        The Clerk of the House shall be authorized to make any necessary editorial and consequential alterations to the Standing Orders.

 The Committee has agreed to thoroughly review the procedures regarding Notices of Motion for the Production of Papers.

A copy of the relevant Minutes of Proceedings (Meetings Nos. 6 and 7) is tabled.

Respectfully submitted,

Bob Kilger, M.P.
Chair