Routine Proceedings / Petitions

Referral to committee

Debates pp. 14126-7

Background

The report of the Clerk of Petitions having been tabled, Mr. Wenman (Fraser Valley West) rose on a point of order to ask the Speaker that his petition, presented the previous day concerning changes to current parliamentary procedure respecting petitions so that they would either be brought into immediate discussion or referred to a committee, be read. The Speaker asked for the unanimous consent of the House, which was refused. Mr. Wenman rose once again to request that his petition be referred to the Standing Committee on Procedure and Organization. The Speaker ruled immediately.

Issue

Can a petition be referred to a committee when the House has refused unanimous consent for it to be read?

Decision

No. The petition must be read in the House before it can be referred to a committee.

Reasons given by the Speaker

Parliamentary practice holds that a petition may only be read with the unanimous consent of the House. If the House declines to give unanimous consent to the reading of a petition, it is hard to see how it can be asked to give unanimous consent to referral to committee, or to dealing with it in some other fashion. The only way a Member can have his or her petition considered is to present it to the House and have it registered and recorded in the Debates.

References

Debates, December 15, 1981, p. 14073.