House of Commons.

AuthorMonnin, Marisa
PositionLegislative Reports

The First Session of the Forty-Second Parliament continued through the months of May and June 2016, with the House adjourning for the summer break on June 17, 2016. The report below covers the months of May, June and July 2016.

Address by the President of the United States of America

On June 29, 2016, Barack Obama, President of the United States of America, delivered a joint address to Senators and Members of Parliament in the Chamber of the House of Commons. President Obama was welcomed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Speakers of both Houses.

Legislation

Bill C-14, Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make related amendments to other Acts (medical assistance in dying), continued its passage through the House of Commons. The bill, which aims to give Canadians the right to access medical assistance in dying, brought on vigorous debate. Prior to debate at report stage, the sponsors of motions placed on notice had written to the Speaker arguing that certain motions were of such exceptional significance that they warranted further consideration despite their previous defeat in committee. In his ruling at report stage on May 17, 2016, the Speaker selected a number of these motions for debate, noting both the far-reaching social, moral and constitutional implications of the bill and the variety of opinions expressed by various Members in all parties. The bill was concurred in at report stage on May 30, 2016 and read a third time and passed on May 31, by a vote of 186 to 137. On June 16, 2016, a message was received from the Senate informing the House that the Senate had passed Bill C-14 with amendments for which the concurrence of the House was desired. Following debate on the Senate amendments on June 16, the House voted to accept certain amendments to the bill, reject four amendments, and made a few amendments to the Senate's original amendments. On June 17, the Senate concurred in the amendments made by the House of Commons. The bill received Royal Assent that same day.

Financial Procedures

On June 14, 2016, the final supply day in the period ending June 23, 2016, the House considered motions to concur in the Main Estimates and the Supplementary Estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2017. Gordon Brown (Chief Opposition Whip) had put a notice of opposition to Vote 1, in the amount of $835,252, under Office of Infrastructure of Canada--Operating expenditures, in the Main Estimates. Mr. Brown's notice of opposition forced a vote on Vote 1, in the amount of $110,040,788, under Office of Infrastructure of Canada. The House proceeded to vote on the motion to concur in Vote 1, which was carried by a vote of 291-97. Following this, as per the usual practice, the House...

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