Chapter 14 - Committee
of the whole proceedings
Proceedings
in committee
A committee of the whole may consider
only the matters referred to it by the Senate (SO 144(1)). A committee
appointed to consider a bill or a particular document cannot move to a
consideration of any other matter; if another matter is to be considered the
Senate has to appoint another committee of the whole.
Except to the extent that the standing orders provide different rules
for proceedings in committee of the whole, the same rules apply as in the
Senate, and the Chair of Committees has the same authority to uphold the rules
in committee (SO 144(7)). Questions
in committee are decided in the same manner as in the Senate (SO 144(2)), and a
committee of the whole has the same majority as the Senate.
The Chair of
Committees and a committee of the whole, however, have no authority to deal with disorder.
Any disorder must be reported to the Senate, with the President taking the
chair (SO 144(7), 203(2); see
Chapter 10, Debate, under Disorder). The President may resume the chair in
cases of sudden disorder in committee (SO 146(1)).
The Chair of
Committees may make rulings in committee to interpret and apply the rules of
the Senate, but if any objection is taken to a ruling of the Chair the Senate
resumes, and the matter is laid before the President for decision (SO 145, 198).
The most
significant difference between proceedings in the Senate and in
committee is that in committee senators may speak more than once and move any
number of amendments to the same question (SO 144(5)). This is
the essence of committee proceedings: they provide an opportunity for thorough
consideration of a matter, and that consideration does not conclude until
senators do not wish to speak any further or move any further amendments.
There are certain minor restrictions on proceedings in committee. A
committee cannot consider any motion which is contrary to its decisions; only
the Senate can reverse a decision of a committee (SO 144(3)). The motion
for the previous question cannot be moved (SO 144(4); see Chapter
9, Motions and Amendments, under Previous question). If a motion for the
closure of debate or that the committee report progress (the equivalent of
adjourning debate, see below) is moved, neither of those motions may be moved
again within 15 minutes (SO 144(6)).
For the suspension of standing orders in committee, see Chapter 8,
Conduct of Proceedings, under Suspension of standing orders.
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