SoVote

May/17/22 10:02:45 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, there are numerous precedents on the matter of consultation. The Chair has ruled on many occasions that the Speaker has no discretionary authority to refuse a motion if all the procedural requirements have been met. As indicated on page 676 of House of Commons Procedure and Practice, third edition, “the Chair has no authority to determine whether or not consultation took place nor what constitutes consultation among the representatives of the parties.” Furthermore, Deputy Speaker Comartin, on March 6, 2014, indicated: The nature of the consultation, the quality of the consultation, and the quantity of the consultation is not something that the Chair will involve himself in. That has been the tradition of this House for many years. What the Chair would have to do, in effect, is conduct an extensive investigative inquiry into the nature of the consultation. That is not our role, nor do the rules require it. Therefore, I am rejecting the request for the point of order. Finally, if I may, I will quote Speaker Fraser, who stated on June 6, 1988: ...I do not think the Speaker has the authority, in view of the Speaker's responsibility to rule on procedural matters, to inquire as to what consultation did or did not take place. There might be some occasion when the question of whether or not consultation had taken place on some matter comes before this Chamber. I am not in anyway suggesting what I have heard today either amounts to sufficient consultation or no consultation or any kind of consultation at all. I am just pointing out that, as I read the rule, it is not for me to get into that. I would not want any comments I made today in any way to take away from the ability of the Hon. Member for Windsor West to argue whether a certain set of conversations did or did not amount to consultation at some future time if the Hon. Member wanted to raise the matter again under this Standing Order or any other. I am saying that I think I am bound by the rule as it is and that I cannot investigate whether consultation took place because, frankly, the Standing Order is silent as to my authority to do that.

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Context: House Hansard - 73 - May/17/22

Ms. Elizabeth May

May/17/22 10:06:31 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I think the response from the hon. member for Winnipeg North missed the connection with what the hon. opposition House leader was saying, which is that it is not the word “consultation” that is relevant, but the words “support” and “agreement”.

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Context: House Hansard - 73 - May/17/22

Mr. John Brassard

May/17/22 10:06:54 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Saanich—Gulf Islands for rising on this, because she quite rightly said that Motion No. 11 says “agreement” among the parties; it does not say “consultation” among the parties. The House certainly has the right and privilege to know with whom the agreement was made, or which other leader of the House of a recognized party made it, as Motion No. 11 states. I ask for some clarity on this. It is quite clear in Motion No. 11 that agreement must be had. There was no agreement by me. Certainly the hon. member from the Bloc said there was no agreement from him. I think we need it stated clearly where that agreement came from, as Motion No. 11 dictates. It does not say “consultation”. A consultation according to the party opposite is simply sending an email around. There has to be clear agreement. Who made that agreement?

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Context: House Hansard - 73 - May/17/22

The Deputy Speaker

May/17/22 10:07:55 a.m.
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I want to thank everyone for their interventions. We are all hon. members in the House of Commons, and when we say we have consulted with one another, I expect, of course, as I do with unanimous consent motions and others, that there has been consultation among the House leaders. I will continue to push to make sure that consultation does happen on a regular basis, but in this particular case, you are all hon. members and I cannot intercede in the discussion between House leaders on the floor of the House. Pursuant to order made on May 2, the minister's request to extend the sitting is deemed adopted.

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