House of Commons Procedure and Practice
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8. The Parliamentary Cycle

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[51]: Debates, February 27, 1996, pp. 16-20. The point of order concerned the designation of the Official Opposition, when events had resulted in an equality of seats between the two main opposition parties. Although prorogation normally puts to an end any outstanding business, the Speaker determined that the recent equality of seats had created a new context and required an immediate statement on the issue. For further information on the point of order and the Speaker’s ruling, see Chapter 1, “Parliamentary Institutions”.
[52]: See, for example, Journals, September 15, 1949, pp. 10-3; October 9, 1979, pp. 17-8; October 1, 1986, pp. 24-5; December 12, 1988, pp. 7-8; February 27, 1996, p. 2. For further information, see Chapter 4, “The House of Commons and Its Members”.
[53]: See, for example, Journals, August 29, 1950, p. 4; April 3, 1989, p. 3. For matters relating to a new Member’s entrance in and introduction to the House, see Chapter 4, “The House of Commons and Its Members”.
[54]: For example, on the opening day of the Third Session of the Twenty-First Parliament, tributes were offered in memory of former Prime Minister W.L. Mackenzie King, two Members (Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Belzile) and former Speaker Casgrain (Debates, August 29, 1950, pp. 5-10). For other examples of tributes given on the opening day of a session, see Debates, September 12, 1968, pp. 10-1; January 4, 1973, pp. 8-11; September 30, 1974, pp. 8-9; October 12, 1976, pp. 4-5; October 9, 1979, pp. 7-8; December 12, 1988, pp. 11-2.
[55]: See, for example, the tributes made on the second day of the session in Debates, January 5, 1973, p. 14; May 14, 1991, pp. 55-8; and on the fourth and fifth days of the session in Debates, January 20, 1994, pp. 108-12; January 21, 1994, pp. 157-8; September 25, 1997, pp. 104-6; September 26, 1997, pp. 153-6.
[56]: See, for example, announcements informing the House of the appointment of a new Clerk (Journals, February 5, 1925, p. 1; October 9, 1979, p. 18) and of a new Sergeant-at-Arms (Journals, March 18, 1918, p. 7; January 14, 1960, p. 8).
[57]: Journals, August 18, 1914, pp. 2-3; September 8, 1930, p. 9; September 7, 1939, p. 2; January 25, 1940, p. 8; March 19, 1945, pp. 2-3; August 29, 1950, pp. 4-5; November 26, 1956, p. 2; December 12, 1988, pp. 5-6.
[58]: At the time of the short-lived First Session of the Thirty-Fourth Parliament, which is not specifically designated as “special” in the Debates or Journals of the House of Commons, the situation had evolved to where Parliament was sitting year-round. It is worth noting that in this case Parliament was summoned to meet only three weeks after the general election of November 21, 1988. Parliament met on December 12, 1988, and this was also the date set for the return of the writs. The list of Members elected and the accompanying certificate of the Chief Electoral Officer, usually tabled by the Clerk immediately when the House meets for the despatc of business, was in this instance not tabled until December 15, 1988, the fourth sitting day of the session (Journals, pp. 26-33). The session started on December 12, 1988, and dealt with a bill to implement a free trade agreement between Canada and the United States. On December 23, the House passed the bill and pursuant to Special Order, adjourned, reconvened for the Royal Assent on December 30 and adjourned until March 6, 1989. Parliament was prorogued by proclamation dated February 28, 1989.
[59]: Journals, August 18, 1914, p. 3; September 8, 1930, p. 10; September 7, 1939, p. 5; August 29, 1950, p. 5; November 26, 1956, p. 3. Rules were also suspended in two other sessions of short duration not designated as “special” in the Debates or Journals of the House of Commons: in 1945 (Sixth Session of the Nineteenth Parliament), the House agreed to give precedence to Government Business for the balance of the session and to treat Wednesdays (then a day of early adjournment) as other sitting days (Journals, March 19, 1945, p. 3); in 1988 (First Session of the Thirty-Fourth Parliament), a motion was adopted (and deemed rescinded on completion of the business at hand) to extend the hours of sitting and suspend the operation of certain Standing Orders (Journals, December 16, 1988, pp. 46-9; December 30, 1988, p. 87).
[60]: Standing Order 28(2).
[61]: In 1986, for example, the House was recalled for a day during the summer adjournment (July 24) in order to consider a Senate amendment to a government bill. Parliament was prorogued on August 28 and the new session opened on September 30, some three weeks after the date provided in that year’s calendar for the resumption of sittings.
[62]: Standing Order 24.
[63]: Standing Order 28(1).
[64]: Journals, November 29, 1982, p. 5400.
[65]: See, for example, Journals, March 19, 1894, p. 15; Debates, March 19, 1894, cols. 78-9 (adjournment over Easter).
[66]: For session dates, see Appendix 12, “Parliaments Since 1867 and Number of Sitting Days”. In 1947, responding to "complaints… that protracted sessions of Parliament are caused by deficiencies in the rules of procedure …", the Speaker put forward a Report on Procedure containing (among other items) a suggestion that sessions be divided into three sections, or sitting periods (Journals, December 5, 1947, pp. 7, 24-5). This recommendation was not acted on; nor were later proposals of a similar nature (see Appendix “J” to the Report of the Sub-Committee on the Use of Time, Standing Committee on Procedure and Organization, Minutes of Proceedings and Evidence, September 30, 1976, Issue No. 20, pp. 53-4. See also pages 4 and 5 of the document entitled “Position Paper: The Reform of Parliament”, tabled on November 23, 1979 (Journals, p. 260)).
[67]: Journals, October 9, 1964, pp. 780-1.
[68]: Journals, July 18, 1980, p. 488; July 21, 1980, pp. 492-5; July 22, 1980, pp. 498-9; July 10, 1981, pp. 2848-50; July 16, 1981, pp. 2864-5 (notice of closure); July 17, 1981, pp. 2868-71.
[69]: See Part II of the Third Report of the Special Committee on Standing Orders and Procedure, presented on November 5, 1982 (Journals, p. 5328). The recommendations were adopted on November 29, 1982 (Journals, p. 5400). For an example of comments on the anticipated effect of the new parliamentary calendar, see Debates, November 29, 1982, p. 21069. See also certain interventions in the Debates of June 1988, when the government sought to introduce a motion proposing the temporary suspension of certain Standing Orders, including the parliamentary calendar (Debates, June 9, 1988, pp. 16296-7, 16301; June 10, 1988, pp. 16322-3; June 13, 1988, pp. 16379 (Speaker’s ruling), 16389; June 20, 1988, p. 16626).
[70]: Journals, December 19, 1983, pp. 55-6 (see also the First Report of the Special Committee on Standing Orders, presented on December 15, 1983, Journals, p. 47); April 11, 1991, pp. 2902-7.
[71]: Standing Order 28(2).
[72]: See, for example, Journals, April 21, 1994, p. 380.
[73]: Standing Order 24(1). Weekend sittings take place infrequently and in unusual circumstances; for example, in 1995, pursuant to a Special Order, the House met on Saturday and Sunday to consider back-to-work legislation (Journals, March 23, 1995, p. 1265).
[74]: Standing Order 28(3) provides for recall during an adjournment. For examples, see Appendix 13, “Recalls of the House of Commons During Adjournment Periods Since 1867”.
[75]: See, for example, Journals, December 10, 1991, pp. 909-10.
[76]: Journals, June 20, 1988, pp. 2925-7. Following the appearance of the government’s notice of a motion to suspend the operation of certain Standing Orders— including the parliamentary calendar— points of order were raised as to the receivability of the motion. See Debates, June 13, 1988, pp. 16376-9 for the text of the Speaker’s ruling.
[77]: See Appendix 12, “Parliaments Since 1867 and Number of Sitting Days”.
[78]: An Act to make the first day of July a Public Holiday, by the name of Dominion Day, S.C. 1879, c. 47. Dominion Day was renamed Canada Day in an amendment to the Holidays Act (S.C. 1980-83, c.124), assented to October 27, 1982 (Journals, p. 5288).
[79]: See, for example, Journals, July 1, 1891, 1919, 1931, 1947, 1958 and 1961.
[80]: Bourinot, 4^th ed., pp. 211-2. See also Debates, June 3, 1872, cols. 947-9, concerning the evolution of the practice.
[81]: Debates, November 17, 1970, p. 1228. For example, in 1976 when evening sittings were routine, a Member died at “supper hour”, and when the House reconvened, a motion to adjourn was immediately moved and adopted (Journals, December 16, 1976, p. 251; Debates, December 16, 1976, pp. 2088-9).
[82]: See, for example, Debates, January 11, 1958, p. 3187 and Journals, January 11, 1958, p. 337; Debates, October 27, 1977, p. 324 and Journals, October 27, 1977, p. 42; Debates, June 7, 1993, p. 20462 and Journals, June 7, 1993, p. 3136; Debates, February 17, 1998, p. 4033; February 26, 1998, pp. 4505, 4512-3 and Journals, February 17, 1998, p. 497.
[83]: Journals, October 9, 1964, pp. 780-1.
[84]: Standing Order 28(1).
[85]: Interpretation Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. I-21.
[86]: Within the parliamentary calendar, the only day not specifically covered in all cases by a long adjournment would be Victoria Day (celebration of the birthday of the Sovereign).
[87]: Standing Order 28(4). See, for example, Journals, July 7, 1994, pp. 672-3. The rule, which was adopted on June 10, 1994, codifies a pre-existing practice whereby the House would adopt an order enabling it to reconvene for the sole purpose of granting Royal Assent (see, for example, Journals, June 23, 1992, pp. 1833-4).
[88]: Standing Order 28(3). See also Appendix 13, “Recalls of the House of Commons During Adjournment Periods Since 1867”.
[89]: See, for example, Journals, September 8, 1992, p. 1924. On July 3, 1987, the government requested a recall, citing pressing legislation then in the Senate. The House was not recalled; it was reported that the government and the Senate were pursuing an agreement on the handling of the bills in question. On August 7, 1987, citing different reasons, the government again requested a recall; the Speaker granted the request and the House was recalled on August 11 (Journals, p. 1308). During the 1991 crisis in the Persian Gulf, the House adopted a motion allowing two of its standing committees to request that the Speaker recall the House, with Standing Order 28(3) temporarily modified to provide for 12-hour notice (Journals, January 21, 1991, pp. 2587-8).
[90]: Standing Order 55. See also Chapter 12, “The Process of Debate”.
[91]: See Appendix 12, “Parliaments Since 1867 and Number of Sitting Days”.
[92]: Journals, August 3, 1940, p. 325.
[93]: Journals, November 22, 1944, p. 921. See also Debates, November 22, 1944, p. 6505. The recall of 1944 was the first to take place pursuant to an Order of the House.
[94]: Recalls from adjournment took place in 1951, 1966, 1972, 1973, 1977 and 1980.
[95]: Standing Order 55. See page 12 of the Third Report of the Special Committee on Standing Orders and Procedure, presented on November 5, 1982 (Journals, p. 5328). The Standing Order came into effect on December 22, 1982 (Journals, November 29, 1982, p. 5400). The House was later recalled pursuant to Standing Order in 1986, 1987, 1991 (twice) and 1992. See Appendix 13 for a list of recalls and the reasons for the recalls.
[96]: In 1991, for example, the letter requesting the January recall was dated Saturday, January 12, 1991 (Journals, January 15, 1991, p. 2556).
[97]: A message is sent to all Members over the Speaker’s signature advising of the date and time of the recall. Since 1986, these messages have been sent via electronic mail; see, for example, Debates, July 24, 1986, p. 15011; Journals, January 15, 1991, p. 2556. Prior to this, telegrams were used (see, for example, Debates, November 22, 1944, p. 6504; August 9, 1977, p. 8129). In cases where special transportation arrangements are required, House officials may work with the Department of National Defence and will include in the notice to Members details of routing and scheduling of aircraft. In 1977, for example, travel by military aircraft was arranged when the House was recalled due to a nation-wide strike which had the effect of closing down the commercial air transportation industry.; The party Whips’ offices are also notified of the recall and of any special transportation arrangements. As well, the necessary steps are taken to ensure that Members travelling on parliamentary business at the time of a recall are informed of the recall and provided assistance in returning to Ottawa.; In the past, a notice of recall was published over the Speaker’s signature in a special or "extra" edition of the Canada Gazette. There is no statutory requirement for this measure, and the practice was abandoned with the recall of February 1991. See also Appendix 13.
[98]: Journals, September 8, 1992, p. 1924; Debates, September 8, 1992, p. 12709.
[99]: See, for example, Debates, November 22, 1944, p. 6504; January 29, 1951, p. 755; August 30, 1973, p. 6059; January 15, 1991, p. 16981.
[100]: Journals, October 6, 1980, p. 504; July 24, 1986, p. 2474; August 11, 1987, p. 1308; January 15, 1991, p. 2556; February 25, 1991, p. 2602; September 8, 1992, p. 1924.