Document Information

Date: 1980-10-27
By: Canada (Parliament)
Citation: Canada, House of Commons Debates, 32nd Parl, 1st Sess, 1980 at 4105.
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COMMONS DEBATES — October 27, 1980

[Page 4105]

THE CONSTITUTION

PROPOSED RESOLUTION—POSSIBLE REFERENCE BACK OF JOINT COMMITTEE REPORT

Hon. Erik Nielsen (Yukon): Madam Speaker, I have a brief supplementary question to that put by the hon. member for Nepean-Carleton to the government House leader respecting the process being followed in the constitutional matter. Since all phases of the committee reference and report must be passed by both Houses, can the government House leader tell the House how motions to refer parts of the committee report back to the committee would be reconciled with the proceedings of the other place? Could he tell us if he has considered what the status of the report might be if one House referred the report back to committee and the other House took no action; that is, given the possiblity of referral back to a committee which goes out of existence as soon as its report is presented.

[Translation]

Hon. Yvon Pinard (President of the Privy Council): There are many ifs in my hon. colleagues question, Madam Speaker, and instead of speculating and answering purely hypothetical questions, I think we would be much better advised to wait until we know the exact content of the report of the joint committee of the House of Commons and the Senate. We shall then be able together to cross the bridge when we get to the river.