Glossary of Parliamentary Procedure A to Z

Select the first letter of the word from the list above to move to the appropriate section of the glossary. There are no definitions in the glossary under the letters K, X, Y and Z.

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A

abstention
(abstention): The act of refraining from voting either for or against a motion. Members are not obliged to vote and the records of the House take no official notice of an abstention; a list of paired Members is appended if necessary to every division list in the Journals and Debates.
Compare: pairing
abstract motion
(motion abstraite): A motion which merely recommends an expenditure, imposition or action. As it expresses only an opinion or desire, such a motion does not bind the House or the government to any course of action.
acclamation
(acclamation): In Canada, a Member is said to be elected or returned by acclamation when no other candidate has come forward at an election and no vote is held.
Act of Parliament
(loi du Parlement): A bill which has been passed by both the House of Commons and the Senate, has received Royal Assent and has been proclaimed. Unless a provision of the Act specifies otherwise, the Act comes into force on the date of Royal Assent or, when Royal Assent is signified by written declaration, on the day on which the two Houses of Parliament have been notified of the declaration.
Acting Speaker
(président suppléant): A Member, other than the Deputy Speaker, who is called upon to take the Chair during the unavoidable absence of the Speaker. Usually, the Deputy or Assistant Deputy Chair of Committees of the Whole is chosen, but any Member may act in this capacity.
address
(adresse): A formal message to the Crown which may either express a wish or an opinion of the House or make a request. Addresses are used to express congratulations to the Royal family and also to request the production of documents in the Crown’s possession. In certain cases, addresses may be jointly adopted by both Houses.
Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne
(Adresse en réponse au discours du Trône): An address expressing the Commons' thanks to the Sovereign for the Throne Speech, adopted after a debate dealing with various aspects of the government's program.
adjournment debate
(Débat d'ajournement): See: Adjournment Proceedings
adjournment of debate
(ajournement du débat): Often a dilatory tactic which may be employed to delay progress on a question. If a motion to adjourn a debate is adopted, the item is not dropped from the Order Paper but may be taken up again on a later day.
Compare: sine die adjournment motion
Distinguish: Adjournment Proceedings
adjournment of the House
(ajournement de la Chambre): The termination of a sitting (either by motion or pursuant to a Standing or Special Order) within a session. An adjournment covers the period between the end of one sitting and the beginning of the next. The House may adjourn for a few minutes or for several months.
Distinguish: recess; suspension of a sitting
Adjournment Proceedings
(Débat d'ajournement): A thirty-minute period prior to the daily adjournment, during which Members may raise matters they believe have not been dealt with satisfactorily during oral question period or, in the case of written questions, have not been answered after forty-five days. Questions are responded to by a Minister or Parliamentary Secretary.
Synonyms: adjournment debate; “late show”; proceedings on adjournment
Administrator of the Government of Canada
(administrateur du gouvernement du Canada): The Chief Justice of Canada who assumes the powers of the Governor General in the event of the latter’s death, incapacity, removal or absence from the country. The Administrator may, as necessary, read the Throne Speech and signify Royal Assent to bills.
Compare: Deputy of the Governor General
admonition
(admonestation): A stern warning by the Speaker to a Member who is adjudged in breach of the rules of the House.
Compare: reprimand
affirmative resolution
(résolution de ratification): In an Act, this expression, when used in relation to a regulation, means that the regulation shall be laid before the House of Commons within the prescribed period of time and shall not come into force unless and until it is affirmed by a resolution of the House of Commons.
Compare: negative resolution
agenda
(ordre du jour): A list of the items of business to be dealt with during a sitting of the House or of one of its committees.
Compare: Order Paper; Projected Order of Business
allotted day
(jour désigné): A day reserved for the discussion of the business of supply, the actual topic of debate being chosen by a Member in opposition. There are twenty-two allotted days in each calendar year which are divided amongst the opposition parties in proportion to their representation in the House. All motions are put to a vote unless the sponsor of the motion designates it as non-votable.
Compare: supply period
Synonyms: opposition day; supply day
amending Act
(loi modificative): An Act of Parliament whose sole purpose is to modify another Act or Acts. Restrictions exist on the type of amendments that may be proposed to bills which seek to amend other Acts.
amendment
(amendement): An alteration proposed to a motion, a stage or clause of a bill, or to a committee report. It may attempt to present an improved formulation of the proposition under consideration or to provide an alternative to it.
ancillary motion
(motion auxiliaire): A subsidiary motion dependent on an order already made by the House, such as a motion for the second reading of a bill or for concurrence in a committee report.
appeal a decision
(en appeler d'une décision): To request the reconsideration of a decision made by a committee chair. In standing, special and legislative committees, the appeal is made to the committee itself; decisions made by the Chair of a Committee of the Whole can be appealed to the Speaker. Decisions made by the Speaker may not be appealed.
applied vote
(vote appliqué): Vote whereby, based on prior consultations among the Whips, the results of one recorded division are subsequently applied to others directly or, occasionally, in reverse.
appointment
(nomination par décret): See: Order in Council appointment
appropriation
(crédit): A sum of money allocated by Parliament for a specific purpose outlined in the government's spending estimates.
Compare: vote (2); See: business of supply
appropriation bill
(projet de loi de crédits): A bill to authorize government expenditures, introduced in the House following concurrence in the main or supplementary estimates or interim supply. An appropriation bill can only be introduced by a Minister.
Synonym: supply bill
Assent
(sanction royale): See: Royal Assent
Assistant Deputy Chair of Committees of the Whole
(vice-président adjoint des comités pléniers): A Member chosen to serve as a replacement for the Chair of Committees of the Whole during the latter's absence, including taking on the role of Acting Speaker when required.
associate member
(membre associé): A Member whose name has been placed on a list from which members of subcommittees and substitute members of committees may be chosen. The list of associate members is established by the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs and adopted by the House.
Auditor General
(vérificateur général): An officer of Parliament responsible for the independent scrutiny of the government’s accounts. Reports of this examination are tabled in the House several times a year.
authority
(autorité en matière de procédure): See: procedural authority

backbencher
(député de l'arrière-ban): A Member who is not a Minister of the Crown, a Parliamentary Secretary, a House Leader, or a Whip.
Distinguish: private Member
ballot
(bulletin de vote): A piece of paper on which a voter indicates his or her choice (e.g. of a candidate in an election or of an option in a referendum). In the House of Commons, ballots are used only for the election of the Speaker, for the election of committee chairs and vice-chairs (if more than one candidate is nominated), and for appeals on the votability of items of Private Members’ Business.
Compare: recorded division
Bar (of the House)
(barre (de la Chambre)): A brass barrier inside the south entrance of the Chamber beyond which uninvited representatives of the Crown and other non-Members may not be admitted. It is here that witnesses must appear when formally summoned.
Beauchesne's Parliamentary Rules and Forms
(Jurisprudence parlementaire de Beauchesne): A work dealing with the procedure of the House of Commons, originally written by Arthur Beauchesne, Clerk of the House from 1925 to 1949, and subsequently revised and updated. It is commonly referred to simply as Beauchesne.
Compare: procedural authority
bell
(sonnerie d'appel): An electronic bell used to summon Members at the beginning of a sitting, for the taking of a vote or to establish a quorum in the House. When used with respect to a vote, it is called a “division bell”.
bicameralism
(bicaméralisme): A legislative body comprised of two chambers or houses. The House of Commons and the Senate are the two Houses of Canada's Parliament.
bill
(projet de loi): A proposed law submitted to Parliament for its consideration and approval. It may originate either with the government, with a private Member or from a committee, and may relate either to public or private interests. Bills may be first introduced in either the House or the Senate, but bills for appropriation of public revenue or for taxation must be introduced in the House.
Blue Book
(Livre bleu): See: main estimates
“blues”
(« bleus »): The unedited in extenso transcript of proceedings in the House or in one of its committees, so called because they were formerly printed on blue paper.
Compare: Debates of the House of Commons
BNA Act: See: Constitution Act
Board of Internal Economy
(Bureau de régie interne): The governing body of the House of Commons. Presided over by the Speaker, the Board is responsible for all matters of financial and administrative policy affecting the House of Commons. The Board is constituted and empowered by statute and not by order of the House. The Clerk of the House is its Secretary.
Compare: Procedure and House Affairs Committee
borrowing authority
(pouvoir d'emprunt): Power required by the government to make up any shortfall between revenues and expenditures, and obtained by way of a borrowing authority bill.
Bourinot
(Bourinot): See: Parliamentary Procedure and Practice in the Dominion of Canada
breach of privilege
(atteinte au privilège): An infringement of one of the specific privileges of the House or its Members which prevents them from carrying out their functions. The House is asked to deal with an alleged breach only when it appears to the Speaker to be evident (prima facie).
Distinguish: contempt of Parliament
bring down the budget
(présenter le budget): See: budget speech

bring in a bill
(présenter un projet de loi): Introduce legislation. A committee may be given an order of reference to prepare and bring in a bill. In its report to the House, the committee may recommend such things as the principles and scope of the bill as well as proposals for legislative wording.
British North America Act
(Acte de l'Amérique du Nord britannique): See: Constitution Act
Budget
(Budget): The government's statement of its fiscal, economic and social policies. It is usually presented once a year, although there is no requirement for an annual presentation.; Distinguish: Budget speech
Budget debate
(débat sur le budget): A debate on a motion approving the government's budgetary policy. The motion is moved by the Minister of Finance following the presentation of the budget speech.
Compare: Budget speech
Budget speech
(exposé budgétaire): A presentation made in the House by the Minister of Finance introducing the government's plans concerning fiscal, economic and social policy (the Budget). Often referred to as “bringing down the Budget”.
Compare: Budget debate
Distinguish: Budget
Synonym: Budget presentation
business of supply
(travaux des subsides): The process by which the government submits its projected annual expenditures for parliamentary approval. It includes consideration of the main and supplementary estimates, interim supply, motions to restore or reinstate items in the estimates, appropriation bills, and motions debated on allotted days.
business of the House
(travaux de la Chambre): Any question, motion or bill which is placed before the House, whether introduced by a Minister or by a private Member.
business of ways and means
(travaux des voies et moyens): The process by which the government obtains the necessary resources to meet its expenses. It has two essential elements: the presentation of the budget and the motions which lead to the introduction of tax bills.
by-election
(élection complémentaire): An election held to fill a vacancy arising during the course of a Parliament. The date of the by-election is fixed by the Governor in Council.
Compare: general election

Cabinet
(Cabinet): The executive of the government, consisting of those Members and Senators appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister. Formally a committee of the Privy Council, it is responsible for the administration of the government and the establishment of its policy.
Synonym: Ministry
Cabinet Minister
(ministre): A member of the executive, appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister. Usually chosen from among existing Members and Senators, Ministers are responsible to Parliament for their official actions and those of their departments. Cabinet Ministers are given the title “Honourable” and membership on the Privy Council for life.
Synonym: Cabinet member
Cabinet solidarity
(solidarité ministérielle): The principle that decisions of the Cabinet must be supported by all of its members; by convention, those not supporting a decision must resign from the Cabinet.
Distinguish: ministerial responsibility; responsible government
Canada Gazette
(Gazette du Canada): A periodical publication of the Government of Canada consisting of three parts: Part I contains orders-in-council and proclamations; Part II contains regulations and other statutory instruments; and Part III contains Acts of Parliament.
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
(Charte canadienne des droits et libertés): A legal charter, formally part of the Constitution Act, 1982, that entrenches in the Canadian constitution certain fundamental rights and freedoms.
casting vote
(voix prépondérante): The deciding vote accorded to the Speaker (or, in committee, to the chair) in the event of a tie. The Speaker or chair may vote only in order to avoid a deadlock, and traditionally votes so as to maintain the status quo.
caucus
(caucus; groupe parlementaire): A group composed of all Members and Senators of a given party.
censure motion
(motion de blâme): A motion condemning the government, a Minister or a private Member for some position which they hold or for some action or lack of action for which they are responsible.
certificate of election
(certificat d'élection): A document transmitted by the Chief Electoral Officer to the Clerk of the House of Commons, following a general election or a by-election, certifying that a candidate has been duly elected to serve as a Member of Parliament for a particular constituency (or electoral district). A certificate of election may list the names of more than one duly elected candidate. A Member cannot be sworn in until the certificate of election is sent to the Clerk of the House following the election.
Compare: writ of election
certificate of nomination
(certificat proposant une nomination): A certificate which provides for an appointment to a non-judicial post made by a Minister. Copies of such nominations must be tabled in the House where they may be subject to review but not revoked by a committee.
Compare: Order in Council appointment
Chair
(présidence): The Presiding Officer at a meeting of the House, whether the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker, the Acting Speaker, or at a committee. Joint committees have co-chairs, one from each Chamber.
Compare: Panel of Chairs
Chair of Committees of the Whole
(Président des comités pléniers): The Member elected by the House at the beginning of each Parliament, charged with presiding over all Committees of the Whole. The Chair of Committees of the Whole also serves as Deputy Speaker.
Chamber
(chambre): The hall or assembly room in which the House of Commons or the Senate meets to conduct its business.
Chief Electoral Officer
(directeur général des élections): An officer of Parliament, appointed by resolution of the House of Commons, responsible for the administration of federal elections, including the monitoring of compliance with statutory provisions respecting election expenses.
Chief Whip
(Whip): See: whip
citation
(commentaire): A numbered paragraph in a procedural authority, usually referred to in the course of debate on a question of privilege or a point of order.
clause (of a bill)
(article): A division of a bill consisting of an individual sentence or statement. Once a bill becomes law, its clauses are referred to as “sections”.
clause-by-clause study
(étude article par article): The final phase of a committee's consideration of a bill, involving detailed study of its provisions. Each clause of the bill is considered individually.
Clerk of Petitions
(greffier des pétitions): The procedural clerk responsible for examining the form and content of public petitions prior to their presentation in the House. Only petitions certified by the Clerk of Petitions to be in conformity with the requirements of the Standing Orders may be presented. The Clerk of petitions is also responsible for examining and reporting on the form of petitions for private bills following their filing with the Clerk of the House.
Distinguish: Examiner of Petitions
Clerk of the House
(Greffier de la Chambre): The chief procedural and administrative adviser to the Speaker and to Members of the House of Commons and Secretary to the Board of Internal Economy. Appointed by the Governor in Council, the Clerk, as the senior permanent official of the House, is responsible for a wide range of administrative and procedural duties relating to the work of the House and its committees.
Clerk of the Parliaments
(Greffier des Parlements): The title accorded to the Clerk of the Senate who is responsible for the reading out of bill titles at Royal Assent and announcing the Royal Assent of supply bills. He or she also has custody of all original Acts of Parliament and may issue certified copies of them as required.
Clerk of the Senate
(Greffier du Sénat): The chief procedural adviser to the Speaker of the Senate and to Senators. The Clerk is appointed by the Governor in Council and is responsible for a wide range of procedural and administrative duties relating to the role of the Senate and its committees.
Synonym: Clerk of the Parliaments
Clerks-at-the-Table
(greffiers au Bureau): See: Table Officers
closure
(clôture): A procedure preventing further adjournment of debate on any motion or on any stage of a bill and requiring that the motion come to a vote at the end of the sitting in which it is invoked.
Distinguish: guillotine; previous question; time allocation
Code of Conduct
(Code de conduite): See: Conflict of Interest Code
coming-into-force clause
(disposition de mise en vigueur): The clause of a bill stating the date upon which an Act will come into effect. Such a clause may also indicate only that an Act or some part of it will come into force on a date fixed by order of the Governor in Council.
commissioner
(commissaire): An official named by the Governor in Council for the purpose of carrying out some official act. The Clerk, the Deputy Clerk, the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel, the Clerk Assistant and the Sergeant-at-Arms are commissioners for the purpose of administering the oath of allegiance to Members as required by the Constitution Act, 1867.
Commissioner of Lobbying
(commissaire au lobbying): An officer of Parliament having responsibility for the application of the Lobbying Act and the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct, which was formerly the responsibility of the Ethics Commissioner. The Commissioner replaces the former Registrar of Lobbyists.
Commissioner of Official Languages
(commissaire aux langues officielles): An officer of Parliament charged with ensuring compliance with federal language policy as set out in the Official Languages Act.
committee
(comité): A body of Members, Senators, or Members and Senators, selected to consider such matters as the House may refer to it or empower it to examine, including bills. There are several types of committees: standing, legislative, special and joint as well as Committees of the Whole.
committee clerk
(greffier de comité): The procedural clerk acting as administrative officer and adviser on parliamentary procedure to a committee and its chair. The committee clerk takes the minutes of proceedings at all committee meetings and may draft rulings on procedural questions for the committee chair.
Compare: procedural clerk
committee evidence
(Témoignages): See: Evidence
committee hearing
(audience de comité): A meeting convened by a committee to receive oral evidence either publicly or in camera. Hearings may be held on a specific topic or concerning a particular legislative proposal.
Committee of Supply
(comité des subsides): Formerly, a Committee of the Whole responsible for approving the government's expenditure plans. Abolished in 1968, its functions have been assumed by the various standing committees of the House.
Committee of the Whole (House)
(comité plénier): All of the Members of the House sitting in the Chamber as a committee. Presided over by a chair rather than by the Speaker, it studies appropriation bills and any other matters referred to it by the House.
committee stage (of a bill)
(étape de l'étude en comité (d'un projet de loi)): Detailed study of the clauses of a bill by a committee. This stage, which may include the hearing of witnesses, is the first at which amendments may be proposed to specific provisions of the bill.
Compendium of House of Commons Procedure
(Compendium de procédure de la Chambre des communes): An online collection of articles on procedural topics designed for parliamentarians and the general public. Found on the Parliament of Canada Web site, the Compendium provides a single online source of up-to-date procedural information.
complicated question
(question complexe): A motion that addresses distinct matters which neither lend themselves to being considered together, nor allow Members to vote separately on the different elements. If requested, the Speaker may divide a complicated question for debate and/or voting purposes.
Compare: omnibus bill
concurrence (in a report)
(adoption (2) d'un rapport): Agreement with a committee report, including the conclusions or recommendations it contains. Concurrence is arrived at in the House either by the adoption of a motion or automatically in accordance with various provisions of the Standing Orders.
confidence convention
(convention sur la confiance): See: non-confidence motion
conflict of interest
(conflit d'intérêts): A conflict arising from any interest, pecuniary or other, which interferes with a Member's ability to perform his or her functions. Such a conflict may prevent a Member from voting on a given issue.
Compare: Code of Conduct; Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
(commissaire aux conflits d’intérêts et à l’éthique): The officer responsible, under the direction of a standing committee, for oversight of the conduct of Members when carrying out their duties and functions. The Commissioner is also responsible to both Houses of Parliament for oversight of the rules concerning conflict of interest for public office holders. The Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner replaces the former Ethics Commissioner.
Conflict of Interest Code
(Code régissant les conflits d'intérêts): A code appended to the Standing Orders that provides Members with common standards for reconciling their private interests with their public duties and functions.
consent
(consentement unanime): See: unanimous consent
consequential amendment
(amendement corrélatif): Subsequent amendment(s) to the text of a motion or bill made necessary for coherence following the adoption of an amendment.
Consolidated Revenue Fund
(Trésor): The government account which is drawn upon whenever an appropriation is approved by Parliament and replenished through the collection of taxes, tariffs and excises.
constituency
(circonscription; comté): See: electoral district
Constitution Act
(Loi constitutionnelle): Actually a series of Acts, the first adopted by the British Parliament in 1867, which contain much of the written part of Canada's constitution. The Constitution Act, 1982, contains the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Constitution Act, 1867, was formerly entitled the British North America Act.
contempt of Parliament
(outrage au Parlement): Any offence against the authority or dignity of Parliament, including disobedience to its commands or libel against it or its Members. Punishment for such an offence may take a variety of forms, up to and including imprisonment.
Distinguish: breach of privilege
corrigendum (plural corrigenda)
(corrigendum (pluriel corrigenda)): Term used in the Journals, Debates, Committee Minutes of Proceedings and Committee Evidence to indicate that a substantive correction has been made to a previous issue.
Distinguish: erratum (plural errata)
count out
(ajournement faute de quorum): An adjournment of the House due to the absence of quorum. The Speaker determines that quorum is no longer present by counting the number of Members actually in attendance; their names are then recorded in the Journals.
Compare: quorum call
cross the floor
(changer de parti): To change political allegiance, signified in the House of Commons by taking a seat as an independent or among the Members of one's new party, usually located across the Chamber from one's former party.
Crown
(Couronne): (1) Her Majesty the Queen in her role as head of state, represented in Canada by the Governor General.
(2)The executive branch of government, the Queen acting through Her agents (the members of the Cabinet).


Daily Order of Business
(ordre quotidien des travaux): The recurring sequence of business for each sitting day in the House of Commons. The daily business of the House is taken up according to a predetermined sequence outlined in the rules of the House.
Daily Proceedings of the House
(activités quotidiennes de la Chambre): A generic designation for Prayers, Statements by Members and Oral Questions, which occur daily in the House but are not part of Routine Proceedings.
Compare: Routine Proceedings
Dean of the House
(Doyen de la Chambre): The Member with the longest unbroken record of service who is neither a Minister nor a holder of any office within the House.
debatable motion
(motion pouvant faire l'objet d'un débat): A motion which, because of its substantive nature or procedural importance, is subject to debate before being put to a vote. The Standing Orders give a complete enumeration of the various types of motions which are debatable.
Debates of the House of Commons
(Débats de la Chambre des communes): The in extenso report—transcribed, edited, and corrected—of what is said in the House and in a Committee of the Whole. The Debates are published in both official languages after each sitting. The Debates are often identified as “Hansard” which is the name of the British family originally responsible for arranging the official reporting of Debates in the British House of Commons.
Compare: “blues”
Synonyms: Official Report of Debates; Hansard
decision
(décision): (1) (of the Speaker) A ruling on the procedural acceptability of some matter before the House which, unless otherwise specified, serves as a precedent to govern future proceedings. Such rulings are final; they may not be debated or appealed.
(2) (of a chair) A ruling on the procedural acceptability of some matter before a committee which may serve as a precedent in future committee proceedings. A Chair's ruling may be appealed to the committee or, if delivered in Committee of the Whole, to the Speaker.
Synonym: ruling
declare null and void
(déclarer nul et non avenu): Decision of the House or ruling by the Speaker invalidating any business which the House or one of its committees is or has been considering.
deferred division
(vote différé): A recorded division which is not held at the close of a debate, but at a later time pursuant to various provisions in the Standing Orders or by a special order of the House.
delegated legislation
(décrets-lois): Regulations made by departments, boards or agencies by virtue of the power conferred on them by some Act of Parliament. Delegated legislation may be reviewed by the Standing Joint Committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations and revoked by the House.
Compare: legislation
Synonym: subordinate legislation
Deputy Chair of Committees of the Whole
(vice-président des comités pléniers): A Member chosen to serve as a replacement for the Chair of Committees of the Whole during the latter's absence, including taking on the role of Acting Speaker when required.
Deputy Clerk
(sous-greffier): The senior official appointed by the Governor in Council to act as deputy to the Clerk of the House for procedural and administrative purposes.
deputy minister
(sous-ministre): The public servant, reporting directly to the minister, who is the permanent administrative head of a government department and is responsible for its day-to-day management. Appointment to such a position is by Order in Council.
Synonym: deputy head
Deputy of the Governor General
(suppélant du Gouverneur général): A person, usually one of the justices of the Supreme Court, selected to represent the Governor General on certain occasions such as for the granting of Royal Assent or prorogation.
Compare: Administrator of the Government of Canada
Deputy Speaker (of the House)
(Vice-président (de la Chambre)): Title given to the Member elected as Chair of Committees of the Whole at the beginning of every Parliament. The Deputy Speaker replaces the Speaker when the latter is unavoidably absent.
die on the Order Paper
(expirer au Feuilleton; mourir au Feuilleton): To remain on the Order Paper at the end of a session without a final decision having been taken. Government motions and bills which “die” are lost and are not proceeded with further, unless they are re-introduced in the next session.
Compare: reinstate a bill
dilatory motion
(motion dilatoire): A superseding motion designed to dispose of the original question before the House, either for the time being or permanently. A motion to adjourn the debate and a motion to adjourn the House are examples of dilatory motions.
discharge an order
(annuler un ordre du jour): To cancel an order previously made by the House, often with a view to presenting some alternative. The order for second reading of a bill must be discharged before the subject matter of the bill can be referred to a committee.
Compare: rescind a resolution
dissenting opinion
(opinion dissidente): A brief appendix to a standing committee report, provided for by the Standing Orders, containing dissenting or supplementary opinions or recommendations proposed by members of the committee. (It is not a synonym for minority report which does not exist in House of Commons practice).
dissolution
(dissolution): The bringing to an end of a Parliament, either at the conclusion of its five-year term or by proclamation of the Governor General. It is followed by a general election.
Compare: prorogation
divide a bill
(scinder un projet de loi): To split a bill into more than one bill. If the House desires the division of a bill, it may adopt an order of instruction to the committee studying the bill, giving it the power to make such a division.
division
(vote): A vote; the dividing of the members into two groups (the yeas and nays) in order to reach a decision.
Synonym: vote
division (on)
(dissidence (avec)): Members who wish to show that a motion was not decided unanimously, but do not want a recorded vote, may respond to the call for voices by saying: “On division”.
See: voice vote
division bell
(sonnerie d'appel): See: bell
division list
(liste de scrutin): A list giving the results of a recorded division, printed in the Journals and the Debates. Members, identified by name, are listed under Yeas or Nays or on the list of paired Members as appropriate.
Compare: recorded division
dollar item
(crédit d'un dollar): An item in the supplementary estimates for a token amount of one dollar. Dollar items are included for a number of purposes which do not entail additional expenditures such as the transfer of funds between votes.
draft bill
(avant-projet de loi): A bill drafted by the Department of Justice and submitted to Cabinet for review before being introduced in Parliament.
draw
(tirage au sort): See: random draw
dropped orders
(question supprimée): An item which is under debate in the House when a motion is adopted to read the Orders of the Day or to proceed to another Order is dropped from the Order Paper. Likewise, in Committee of the Whole, if a motion is adopted requesting that the Chair of the Committee leave the Chair, the item under debate is dropped from the Order Paper. Quorum count outs, and the adoption of motions to adjourn the House or the debate do not result in dropped orders, with the exception of non-votable items of Private Members' Business.
duty roster
(liste d'assiduité; liste de présence): A list indicating which Members of a given party must be in attendance in the House at a given time. It is prepared by the party's whip who is also charged with seeing that it is respected.


election
(élection): See: by-election; general election; in absentia election
Electoral Boundaries Commission
(Commission de délimitation des circonscriptions électorales): Pursuant to the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act, a commission created in each province after each decennial census to establish the boundaries of the electoral districts in the province. The chief justice of a province appoints a judge as chair of the commission for the province, and the Speaker of the House of Commons appoints its other two members.
electoral district
(circonscription électorale): Any place or territorial area entitled to return a Member to represent it in the House of Commons. During debate, Members are identified not by their own names but by the name of their electoral district.
Synonyms: constituency; riding
electoral quota
(quotient électoral): The average number of electors per electoral district in a given province or territory, as established by the Chief Electoral Officer.
embargo
(embargo): A restriction on the distribution or publication of a document or the information it contains, until the time stipulated for its release. An embargo is often placed on documents given a limited distribution prior to their tabling in the House and on notices of motion prior to the release of the Notice Paper in which they appear.
Compare: lock-up
emergency debate
(débat d'urgence): A debate held on a motion to adjourn, devoted to the discussion of a specific and important matter requiring urgent consideration. When a Member requests an emergency debate, the Speaker decides whether or not the request will be granted; after weighing certain criteria such as whether the matter relates to a genuine emergency and whether it can be dealt with by the House in another way.
enabling clause
(article habilitant): The part of a bill giving the appropriate authorities the power to bring the provisions of the bill into force.
enabling legislation
(mesure habilitante): Legislation which confers the power to do something; many government proposals, such as international trade agreements, require such measures before they can be acted upon.
enacting clause
(formule d'édiction): A short paragraph preceding the sections of an Act, which indicates the authority by which it is made. In Canada, legislation is enacted on the authority of Her Majesty the Queen.
engrossed Address
(Adresse grossoyée): Once an address is adopted by the House or by the House and Senate, it is printed in a calligraphic font on a special paper and the completed copy is signed by the Speaker or Speakers.
erratum (plural errata)
(erratum (pluriel errata)): Term used in committee publications to indicate that a correction (of a minor character) has been made to a previous transcript.
Distinguish: corrigendum (plural corrigenda)
Erskine May's Parliamentary Practice (Erskine May's Treatise on The Law, Privileges, Proceedings and Usage of Parliament)
(Erskine May's Parliamentary Practice (Erskine May's Treatise on The Law, Privileges, Proceedings and Usage of Parliament)): A procedural authority providing a complete description of the rules, practices and precedents in the United Kingdom's House of Commons at Westminster. The original edition was prepared in 1844 by Sir Thomas Erskine May, Clerk of the British House. Commonly referred to as Erskine May or simply May.
estimates
(budget des dépenses): The departmental expenditure plans consisting of main estimates, tabled annually, and supplementary estimates, tabled as required. Consideration of the estimates is a major component of the business of supply.
Evidence
(Témoignages): The in extenso transcript of what is said during a committee meeting.
ex officio member
(membre d'office): Generally taken to be a person who, by virtue of an office or position held or because of an expertise, is unofficially attached to a committee in a capacity separate from the research staff or a consultant. In House of Commons practice they may be allowed to question witnesses and participate in the drafting of a report, but they are not allowed to vote or be counted in the quorum.
Examiner of Petitions
(examinateur des pétitions): An official charged with verifying that petitions for private bills have complied with the notice requirements of the Standing Orders.
Distinguish: Clerk of Petitions
Examiner of Private Bills
(examinateur des projets de loi privés): An official charged with examining and revising private bills before they are printed, ensuring that they conform to the requirements of the Standing Orders.
expanded negative
(rejet amplifié): An amendment which, although it is not expressed in the same terms, would have the same effect as voting against the motion under consideration. Such an amendment is not in order.
expel a Member
(expulser un député): The action of the House in ridding itself of one of its Members who is, in its opinion, unfit for membership in the House of Commons.
Compare: name a Member; suspend a Member


filibuster
(obstruction systématique): An obstructive tactic consisting of the use of either numerous or excessively long speeches to delay the business of the House or of a committee. The use of this latter tactic is now severely limited by the rules of the House relating to the length of speeches.
first among equals
(premier parmi ses égaux (primus inter pares)): See: Prime Minister
first Commoner
(Président): See: Speaker
first-past-the-post system
(système uninominal majoritaire à un tour): An electoral system in which the candidate receiving more votes than any other candidate is declared elected, whether or not the winner has received an absolute majority of the votes. The first-past-the-post system is used to elect Members to the House of Commons.
Synonym: single member plurality system
first reading
(première lecture): A pro forma stage in the passage of a bill, taken together with the order for printing. The motion for first reading and printing immediately follows the granting of leave to introduce the bill in the House (except for public bills originating in the Senate which require no introduction) and is deemed carried without question put.
fiscal year
(exercice): The twelve month period, from April 1 to March 31, used by the government for budgetary and accounting purposes.
floor of the House
(parquet de la Chambre): That part of the Chamber of the House of Commons reserved for the Members and the officials of the House.
free conference
(conférence libre): A meeting of representatives (called “managers”) of the House and Senate, in case of a protracted disagreement over amendments made to a bill by one of the two Chambers, at which they attempt to resolve their differences through negotiation.
free vote
(vote libre): Non-procedural term, meaning a vote during which party discipline is not imposed on individual Members. Votes on private Members' business are usually conducted as free votes.
Compare: party vote
Synonym: unwhipped vote
friendship group
(groupe d'amitié): See: interparliamentary group
front benches
(banquettes ministérielles): The first few rows of seats in the House which, on the government side, are occupied by the Prime Minister and the Cabinet and, on the opposition side, by the leaders of the recognized opposition parties and their principal spokespersons.


galleries
(tribunes): Balconies in the interior of the House set aside for the public, the press and distinguished visitors who wish to attend a sitting.
general election
(élection générale): An election following dissolution at which Members are selected for every electoral district. Members are elected by a simple plurality of the votes, which are cast by secret ballot.
Compare: by-election
Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod
(Gentilhomme huissier du Bâton noir): See: Usher of the Black Rod
government
(gouvernement): (1) The sovereign political authority of a State, in which are vested the executive, legislative and judicial powers. In Canada, this authority is of Her Majesty the Queen.
(2) Often used to refer to the executive branch of the government.
See: Crown (2)
government bill
(projet de loi émanant du gouvernement): Any bill introduced by a Minister. Numbered in the House from C-1 to C-200, they are all concerned with public policy and may contain financial provisions.
government business
(affaires émanant du gouvernement): See: Government Orders (1)
Government House Leader
(leader du gouvernement à la Chambre): See: Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Government Member
(député du parti ministériel; membre du parti ministériel): A Member belonging to the Government party.
Distinguish: backbencher; private Member
government of the day
(gouvernement de l'époque): See: Government (2)
Government Orders
(ordres émanant du gouvernement): (1) Any bill or motion initiated by a Minister of Parliamentary Secretary and placed on the agenda of the House (the Order Paper) under the rubric “Orders of the Day, Government Orders”. The business of supply, including opposition motions on allotted days which are designated by the government, is a part of government business.
(2) A period set aside each day for dealing with Government Orders.
Governor General
(gouverneur général): The representative of the Sovereign in Canada who exercises virtually all of the Crown's powers, and who is appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister normally for a five-year term.
Governor General's special warrant
(mandat spécial du Gouverneur général): A warrant, prepared by order of the Governor in Council during dissolution which, when signed by the Governor General, authorizes the payment of funds to meet an urgent need.
Governor in Council
(gouverneur en conseil): The Governor General acting by and with the advice and consent of those members of the Privy Council who make up the Cabinet.
grandfather clause
(clause de droits acquis): A clause protecting a prerogative of an individual or a collectivity from being affected by the new legislation.
Great Seal of Canada
(grand sceau du Canada): A seal affixed to formal documents, such as proclamations and commissions, indicating that they are issued under Crown authority.
green paper
(livre vert): A document containing government policy proposals, issued for discussion purposes. Such a document does not represent a government commitment to introduce legislation or to adopt a particular position.
Distinguish: white paper
Synonym: discussion paper
grievance
(grief): A complaint concerning some situation, action or inaction for which the Crown is responsible. The House has traditionally claimed the right to have its grievances heard before granting supply.
guillotine
(guillotine; bâillon): A provision in the Standing Orders which requires that the House reach a decision on a given matter by a particular date or at the end of a specified period of time. Some guillotines are applied automatically; others are invoked at the request of the government.
Compare: closure; previous question; time allocation


Hansard
(hansard): See: Debates of the House of Commons
high crime and misdemeanour
(high crime and misdemeanor): In parliamentary law, the characterization applied to the offence of offering to bribe or the acceptance of a bribe by a Member of Parliament, or to the spending of unappropriated funds.
hoist
(renvoi à six (trois) mois): See: six (three) months' hoist
House copy (of a bill)
(copie de la Chambre (d'un projet de loi)): The copy of a bill in the care of the Clerk of the House which is used as a working copy by the House of Commons.
House Leader
(leader à la Chambre; leader parlementaire): The Member of a party responsible for its management in the House. The Government House Leader determines a schedule of House business through consultation with the House Leaders of the other recognized parties.
Distinguish: leader of a party
House of Commons
(Chambre des communes): The elected house, along with which the Senate and Sovereign constitute of the Parliament of Canada. Made up of 308 Members, the House alone is constitutionally authorized to introduce legislation concerned with the raising or spending of funds.
Synonym: Lower House
House of Commons calendar
(Calendrier de la Chambre des communes): A calendar which presents a fixed timetable of sittings and adjournments for a given year in accordance with the provisions of the Standing Orders.
House of Commons Procedure and Practice
(procédure et les usages de la Chambre des communes (La)): The procedural authority providing a complete description of the rules, practices and precedents in the House of Commons. Published for the first time in 2000, this book is sometimes referred to as Marleau and Montpetit.
House Official
(haut fonctionnaire de la Chambre): An officer responsible to the House for the carrying out of duties assigned by statute or by standing or special order. Among those included in the designation are the Clerk and the Sergeant-at-Arms.
householder
(bulletin parlementaire): An information bulletin sent by a Member to the citizens of his or her electoral district.
housekeeping motion
(motion d'ordre administratif): A motion of a routine nature dealing with administrative or purely formal matters necessary to expedite House business.
Compare: routine motion
hybrid bill
(projet de loi hybride): In British practice, a public bill affecting private interests. This term is not employed in Canada.


impute motives
(prêter des intentions): Ascribe objectionable motives or motives to a Member different from those acknowledged by the Member.
in absentia election
(élection in abstentia): The election of a presiding officer in the House or in committee when the candidate is not present.
in camera meeting
(réunion à huis clos): A meeting from which the public is excluded. Committees routinely meet in this way to deal with administrative matters and to consider draft reports; the House begins each sitting in camera for the saying of prayers and may also deal with housekeeping or other matters before the doors are opened.
Compare: secret session
independent Member
(député indépendant): A Member who is not a member of a recognized political party. A Member may be elected as an independent or may leave or be expelled from a party during a Parliament and sit as an independent.
inquiry of a committee
(enquête d'un comité): A study undertaken by a standing or special committee of the House. It may be initiated as a result of a standing or special order or, in the case of a standing committee, it may be initiated by the committee itself.
instruction to a committee
(instruction à un comité): A direction by the House to a committee which has already received an order of reference, further defining its course of action or empowering it to do something. There are two types of instructions: permissive and mandatory.
Distinguish: order of reference
interim supply
(crédits provisoires): Funds approved by Parliament to cover government expenditures for the period from April 1 to June 23 of each fiscal year, pending approval of the main estimates in June. Amounts in the motion for interim supply are expressed in twelfths (ordinarily, three-twelfths) of the amounts in the main estimates.
interparliamentary delegation
(délégation interparlementaire): An officially recognized group of Members, or of Members and Senators, representing Parliament or a parliamentary association at an interparliamentary activity in Canada or abroad.
interparliamentary group
(groupe interparlementaire): A group of parliamentarians, whose Canadian component is composed of both Members and Senators, established to increase mutual understanding between Canada and another country through bilateral exchanges.
Compare: parliamentary association
interpretation clause
(article d'interprétation): A clause of a bill which contains the definitions of certain terms used in the bill.
introduction of a bill
(présentation d'un projet de loi): The first presentation of a bill to the House for its consideration. Leave to introduce a bill is granted automatically, without debate, amendment or question put. Senate public bills require no introduction.
invitation to appear
(invitation à comparaître): An invitation to a private individual or the representative of a group to appear before a committee for the purpose of providing information about some matter to the committee.
Distinguish: summoning a witness
item
(poste): See: vote (2)


joint address
(adresse conjointe): See: address
joint committee
(comité mixte): A committee made up of a proportionate number of members of both the House of Commons and the Senate. It may be either a standing or a special committee.
Journals
(Journaux): The official record in both official languages of the decisions and other transactions of the House, drawn from the scroll kept by the Table Officers. The House produces unrevised daily Journals and revised weekly Journals. At the end of a session, a compilation of revised Journals is produced.
Compare: scroll


“late show”
(débat d'ajournement): See: adjournment proceedings
lay on the Table
(déposer): See: table
Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel
(légiste et conseiller parlementaire): An official of the House appointed by the Governor in Council who offers comprehensive legal and legislative services to the Speaker, the Board of Internal Economy, Members of the House of Commons and House managers. As Legislative Counsel, he or she assists Members in the preparation of private Members' bills and amendments to government bills and related legislative matters.
leader (of a party)
(chef d'un parti): The person chosen by a political party to provide leadership in Parliament and during election campaigns. Those so chosen are either already Members of Parliament or are expected to seek a seat in the House of Commons as soon as possible.
Distinguish: House Leader
Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
(leader du gouvernement à la Chambre): The Minister responsible for managing the government's business in the House, including negotiating the scheduling of business with the House Leaders of the opposition parties.
Synonym: Government House Leader
Leaders' Day
(journée des chefs): The first day of resumed debate on the Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne. Traditionally, the first speaker is the Leader of the Official Opposition, who may conclude by proposing an amendment to add words to the original motion.
leave (of the House)
(permission de la Chambre): See: unanimous consent
leave to introduce a bill
(présentation d'un projet de loi): See: introduction of a bill
legislation
(législation): The laws enacted by or on the authority of Parliament. These include orders, regulations and other statutory instruments adopted as a result of power delegated by Parliament to a variety of government departments, boards and commissions.
Compare: delegated legislation
legislative agenda
(programme législatif): The government's legislative plans for the session, usually set out in the Throne Speech. The government is free to modify its legislative plans without notice during the course of the session.
legislative clerk
(greffier législatif): A procedural clerk who provides advice in committee and at report stage concerning the admissibility of proposed amendments to bills and the proper order in which they should be considered and voted on.
legislative committee
(comité législatif): A committee of Members created under the Standing Orders on an ad hoc basis to study a bill in detail either before or after second reading.
Letters Patent
(lettres patentes): A statutory instrument issued by the Governor in Council to give some power to act or to confer some right. Such a document is used, for example, for the appointment of the Clerk of the House of Commons.
Liaison Committee
(comité de liaison): A committee composed of the chairs of each standing committee and of a member of each standing joint committee who is its chair or vice-chair, responsible for, among other matters, apportioning funds to committees from the amount authorized by the Board of Internal Economy. The Whip of any recognized party not having a member on the Liaison Committee may take part in the proceedings of the Committee, but not vote or move any motion, nor be part of any quorum.
Library of Parliament
(Bibliothèque du Parlement): The library established to provide the House of Commons and the Senate with information, reference and research services. The Library of Parliament is under the supervision of the Senate and the House of Commons.
List for the Consideration of Private Members' Business
(Liste portant examen des affaires émanant de députés): List of the names of the Members of the House constituted by a random draw at the beginning of the first session of a Parliament or sometimes during the course of a Parliament for the purposes of Private Members’ Business. The first thirty Members on the list having eligible items of Private Members’ Business each select a single item (motions and bills) standing in their name to comprise the first Order of Precedence. The Order of Precedence is replenished when necessary by adding items from the next 15 Members on the list, who have an eligible item.
Compare: Order of Precedence
lobby
((1) antichambres; (2) lobby): (1)Rooms adjacent to the government and opposition sides of the Chamber.
(2) A group organized for the purpose of influencing the opinions and decisions of legislators with respect to some specific area of interest.
lobbyist
(lobbyiste; coulissier): A person or group who actively attempts to influence legislators with respect to some specific area of interest.
Distinguish: parliamentary agent
lock-up
(séance d'information à huis clos): A closed-door information session arranged prior to the presentation of a major initiative such as a budget. Journalists are not permitted to leave the briefing room until the official presentation of the initiative has begun, although parliamentarians may.
Compare: embargo
long title (of a bill)
(titre intégral (d'un projet de loi)): The title of a bill that sets out in general terms the purposes of the bill. It must encompass all aspects of the bill and, if the bill is amended, it may be necessary to amend the long title to reflect those changes.
Compare: short title (of a bill)
Lower House
(Chambre des communes): See: House of Commons


Mace
(masse): A large, heavy and richly-ornamented staff which is the symbol of authority of the House of Commons. When the Speaker takes the Chair, the Sergeant-at-Arms places the Mace on the Table to signify the House is in session.
maiden speech
(premier discours; baptême d'orateur): The first speech made in the House by a new Member. By tradition, the Speaker recognizes a Member rising to make such a speech in preference to others, and the Member may read from notes on this occasion.
main estimates
(Budget principal des dépenses): A series of government documents providing a breakdown of the planned spending for the coming fiscal year. The main estimates are commonly referred to as the “Blue Book” because of the blue covers in which they are issued.
Synonym: Blue Book
main motion
(motion principale): The principal question before the House or a committee. A proposed modification to it, or an attempt to supersede it, is considered a subsidiary or secondary motion.
Compare: subsidiary motion
majority government
(gouvernement majoritaire): A government formed by the party or the coalition of parties holding the majority of seats in the House of Commons.
Compare: minority government
manager (of a free conference)
(délégué (d'une conférence libre)): The designation of a Member or a Senator who is chosen to participate in a free conference concerning disputed amendments to a bill.
mandatory instruction
(instruction impérative): An instruction that directs the work of a committee in an express and precise manner. The committee is obliged to follow a mandatory instruction from the House.
Compare: permissive instruction
marginal note
(note marginale): A short explanatory note inscribed in the margin of a bill to serve as a title for each paragraph. Marginal notes are not officially part of a bill and cannot be amended by motion, though they may be changed by the Legislative Counsel if amendments to the clause require it.
Marleau and Montpetit (M and M)
(procédure et les usages de la Chambre des communes (La)): See: House of Commons Procedure and Practice
May
(Erskine May's Parliamentary Practice): See: Erskine May's Parliamentary Practice
Member of Parliament
((2) député ): (1) Generally, a person either elected to the House of Commons or appointed to the Senate.
(2) More commonly, a person elected to a seat in the House of Commons as a representative of one of the 308 electoral districts into which Canada is divided. In debate, Members are identified not by their own names but by the names of their electoral districts.
Members' Statements
(Déclarations de députés): See: Statements by Members
message
(message): A formal communication between the House and the Senate which accompanies bills or conveys a request. The Governor General may also communicate with the House by message.
Minister
(ministre): See: Cabinet Minister
Minister of State
(ministre d'État): Sworn to the Privy Council and member of the Ministry, a Minister of State is assigned to assist a Cabinet Minister in specific areas within his or her portfolio.
Ministers' Statements
(Déclarations de ministres): See: Statements by Ministers
ministerial responsibility
(responsabilité ministérielle individuelle): The principle that Ministers are responsible to the House of Commons for their actions and those of their departmental officials.
Distinguish: Cabinet solidarity; responsible government
Ministry
(Cabinet): See: Cabinet
minority government
(gouvernement minoritaire): A government formed by a party, possibly in a coalition with one or more other parties, which does not hold a majority of the seats in the House of Commons. While a minority government does not hold a majority of seats, it usually does hold more than any other party or coalition and must maintain the confidence of the House to continue in power.
Compare: majority government
minority report
(rapport minoritaire): See: dissenting opinion
Minutes of Proceedings
(Procès-verbaux): The formal printed or electronic record of business that occurred during a meeting of a legislative, standing, special or joint committee.
Compare: Evidence
model bill
(projet de loi type): A form provided by the Clerk of the House to those wishing to present certain types of private bills, such as a bill for an Act of incorporation.
motion
(motion): A proposal moved by a Member for the House to do something, to order something to be done or to express an opinion with regard to some matter. In order to be placed before the House for consideration, a motion must be duly moved and seconded. No seconder is required in committee. Once adopted, a motion becomes an order or a resolution.
Compare: procedural motion
motion for papers
(avis de motion portant production de documents): See: Notice of Motion for the Production of Papers; Notice of Motion (Papers)
mover
(motionnaire): A Member presenting a motion in the House of Commons or in one of its committees. When debate is permitted,the Member speaks immediately following the proposing of the question to the House.
Compare: right of reply


name a Member
(désigner un député par son nom): A disciplinary procedure used by the Speaker to maintain order in the House. The Speaker names a Member for persistently disregarding the authority of the Chair. He or she uses the name of the Member, rather than the name of the Member's electoral district, and the Member is then usually suspended from the service of the House for the rest of the sitting day.
Compare: expel a Member; suspend a Member
National Anthem
(Hymne national): At the opening of the Wednesday sitting, immediately following Prayers and before the doors are opened, a designated Member leads the House in singing O Canada.
negative resolution
(résolution de rejet): In an Act, this expression, when used in relation to any regulation, means that the regulation shall be laid before the House of Commons within the prescribed period of time and may be annulled by a resolution of the House of Commons introduced and passed in accordance with the rules of that House.
Compare: affirmative resolution
nomination
(certificat proposant une nomination): See: certificate of nomination
non-confidence motion
(motion de censure): A motion which, if adopted, indicates that the government no longer enjoys the support of a sufficient number of Members of the House to implement its policies, enact legislation or authorize expenditures from the public purse. Such support is usually referred to as “confidence”. The government then either resigns or requests that the Governor General dissolve Parliament and give orders for the issuing of election writs.
notice of motion
(avis de motion): An announcement, either oral or written, of an intention to bring a substantive proposal before the House. The notice period varies depending on the type of motion and who will move it.
Notice of Motion (Papers)
(avis de motion (documents)): A notice under Private Members' Business concerning a motion for papers for which a debate is desired either by the Member giving notice or by a Minister of the Crown.
Notice of Motion for the Production of Papers
(avis de motion portant production de documents): A notice placed on the Order Paper by a private Member requesting the tabling of some document. Such a notice may be called only on Wednesday, when the motion is decided without debate. If the Member or a Minister desires a debate, a request is made that the notice be transferred to Notices of Motions (Papers).
notice of objection
(avis d'opposition): See: notice of opposition
notice of opposition
(avis d'opposition): A notice opposing an item of the Estimates which necessitates the holding of a separate vote on that item prior to the vote on the main concurrence motion.
Compare: opposed item
notice of ways and means motion
(avis de motion de voies et moyens): A notice indicating the government's intention to introduce a ways and means motion on a later day. The notice gives the terms of the motion and is the first step in the process of authorizing a new tax measure.
Compare: ways and means motion
Notice Paper
(Feuilleton des avis): A document published daily when the House is sitting that presents all items (bills, motions and questions) for which notice has been given. The Notice Paper appears at the back of the Order Paper.


oath of allegiance
(serment d'allégeance): An oath of loyalty to the Sovereign, in accordance with the requirements of the Constitution Act, 1867, sworn by a Member before taking a seat in the House of Commons.
See: solemn affirmation
oath of office
(serment d'office): An oath sworn by employees of the House of Commons to carry out faithfully the duties entrusted to them.
officer of Parliament
(haut fonctionnaire du Parlement; mandataire du Parlement): An officer responsible to one or both Houses of Parliament for the carrying out of duties assigned by statute. Among those included in the designation are the Auditor General, the Chief Electoral Officer, the Commissioner of Lobbying, the Commissioner of Official Languages, the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, the Information Commissioner, the Privacy Commissioner and the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner.
Official Opposition
(Opposition officielle): The party or coalition of parties holding the second largest number of seats in the House of Commons. It is accorded certain financial and procedural advantages over other parties in opposition.
Official Report of Debates
(Débats de la Chambre des communes): See: Debates of the House of Commons
omnibus bill
(projet de loi omnibus): A bill consisting of a number of related but separate parts that seek to amend and/or repeal one or several existing Acts and/or to enact one or several new Acts.
opening of Parliament
(ouverture d'une législature; rentrée parlementaire): The ceremony in the Senate Chamber opening the first session of a new Parliament at which the Commons' Speaker claims the rights and privileges of the House of Commons. It is followed by the Governor General's Throne Speech, which outlines the reasons for summoning Parliament.
opposed item
(poste faisant l'objet d'une opposition): An item of the main or supplementary estimates to which a notice of opposition has been filed. In consequence of such a notice, a separate decision must be taken on the opposed item.
Compare: notice of opposition
opposition critic
(porte-parole de l'opposition): A Member of a party in opposition, responsible for presenting that party's policies in a given area and commenting on those of the government.
opposition day
(jour consacré à l'opposition; jour désigné; jour réservé à l'opposition): See: allotted day
opposition party
(parti de l'opposition): A political party that is neither the government party nor part of the coalition of parties forming the government.
oral question period
(période des questions orales): A daily 45-minute period in the House during which oral questions may be addressed to Ministers, committee chairs and a member of the Board of Internal Economy. Ministers may be questioned only about the responsibilities of their current portfolio.
oral vote
(vote par oui ou non): See: voice vote
order
(ordre): A decision of the House giving a direction to its committees, Members or officers, or regulating its proceedings. Orders may be divided into standing, sessional and special orders according to their period of application.
Compare: resolution; Standing Orders
order for return
(ordre de dépôt de documents): An order of the House to the government to table a document. An order for return is not abolished by prorogation and does not need to be renewed in the following session.
Order in Council
(décret): An order issued by the Governor in Council, either on the basis of authority delegated by legislation or by virtue of the prerogative powers of the Crown. It may deal, among other matters, with the administration of the government, appointments to office or the disallowance or reservation of legislation.
Order in Council appointment
(nomination par décret): An appointment to a non-judicial post made by the Governor in Council. Copies of such appointments must be tabled in the House of Commons and the appointments may be reviewed (but not revoked) by a committee of the House. Certain appointments can only be made after approval by resolution of the House and/or the Senate.
Compare: certificate of nomination
Order of Business
(ordre des travaux): A heading on the Order Paper under which are listed all items of business to be dealt with that day: Routine Proceedings, Orders of the Day, Statements by Members, Oral Questions and Private Members' Business.
Order of Precedence
(ordre de priorité): A list of the items of Private Members’ Business (motions, bills and motions for the production of papers) which have been selected for debate. The items are debated in turn and are then either dropped, voted upon or returned to the bottom of the list in accordance with the Standing Orders.
Compare: List for the Consideration of Private Members' Business
order of reference
(ordre de renvoi): An order of the House to a committee instructing it to consider some matter or defining the scope of its deliberations. It may form a part of the Standing Orders or be specially adopted to deal with an issue as it arises.
Distinguish: instruction to a committee

Order Paper
(Feuilleton): The official agenda of the House of Commons, published with the Notice Paper for each sitting day, listing all items that may be brought forward on that particular day.
Compare: agenda
Order Paper and Notice Paper at Dissolution
(Feuilleton et Feuilleton des avis à la dissolution): Published with the Order Paper at the dissolution of a Parliament it includes all the questions remaining unanswered.; See: die on the Order Paper
Orders of the Day
(Ordre du jour): Items of business placed on the agenda of the House (the Order Paper).
Compare: Order Paper; Projected Order of Business
organization meeting
(réunion d'organisation): The first meeting of a committee at which it deals with matters of routine business, including, where appropriate, the election of a chair and vice-chair and on occasion the appointment of a steering committee.
out of order
(antiréglementaire; enfreindre le Règlement; irrecevable; irrégulier): Contrary to the rules of parliamentary procedure. The expression may be applied to motions, bills or to any intervention which runs contrary to the rules of the House.


page
(page): One of a group of 40 university students selected each year to be employed by the House of Commons to carry messages, and to deliver House documents and other material to Members in the Chamber during sittings of the House.
pairing
(pairage): An arrangement whereby a Member of the government party and any Member of an opposition party agree not to vote for a specific period of time. Independent Members may also be paired. This arrangement, which permits Members to be absent on other business, is worked out either by the respective Whips or by the Members themselves.
Compare: abstention; Register of Paired Members
Panel of Chairs
(Comité des présidents): A group composed of the Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees of the Whole, the Deputy Chair of Committees of the Whole, the Assistant Deputy Chair of Committees of the Whole and other Members appointed by the Speaker, from which the chairs of legislative committees are chosen.
Compare: chair
parent act
(loi visée): In relation to a bill, the parent act is the statutory law(s) which the bill is amending.
Parliament
((1) législature; (2) Parlement): (1) A period of time during which the institution of Parliament exercises its powers. A Parliament has a constitutionally-determined maximum lifespan of five years. These periods are numbered consecutively (for example: 38th Parliament, 39th Parliament, etc.).
(2) The legislative branch of government, composed of the Sovereign (represented by the Governor General), the Senate and the House of Commons. Financial legislation may be introduced only by Ministers of the Crown in the House of Commons.
Parliament of Canada Act
(Loi sur le Parlement du Canada): The statute which makes formal claim to the privileges of Parliament and lays out the administrative framework for both Houses, including, among many other provisions, the role of the Board of Internal Economy of the House of Commons.
parliamentary agent
(agent parlementaire): A person employed in promoting or opposing a private bill. Such persons must have the authorization of the Speaker and must abide by the rules, orders and practices of Parliament.
Distinguish: lobbyist
parliamentary association
(association parlementaire): An international association, whose Canadian component is composed of both Senators and Members, which provides a forum for the exchange of ideas and information and for the sharing of knowledge and experience through person-to-person contact. The main activities of these associations include exchanges, conferences and seminars on various subjects.
Compare: friendship group
Parliamentary Budget Officer
(directeur parlementaire du budget): An official of the Library of Parliament responsible for providing independent analysis to the Senate and to the House of Commons about the state of the nation’s finances, the estimates of the government and trends in the national economy.
parliamentary exchanges
(échanges parlementaires): A program involving the making of official visits to Canada by foreign parliamentarians under the auspices of the Speaker of either House and visits abroad by Canadian parliamentarians at the invitation of a legislature of another country.
parliamentary fees
(droits parlementaires; taxes parlementaires): Fees payable to the Senate or the House of Commons by persons seeking to have a private bill adopted. The fees must be paid before the bill is considered at the committee stage.
parliamentary intern
(stagiaire parlementaire): One of a group of ten university graduates selected each year to work as researchers and assistants in the offices of Members. The internship program is sponsored by the Canadian Political Science Association.
Parliamentary Officers' Study Program
(Programme d'études des hauts fonctionnaires parlementaires): A program of the Parliament of Canada to assist foreign parliaments in the training of their officials in administration and parliamentary procedure.
parliamentary precinct
(édifices du Parlement): See: precinct of Parliament
parliamentary privilege
(privilège parlementaire): The rights and immunities enjoyed by a Member, necessary for the carrying out of parliamentary duties. They include: freedom of speech in the House and its committees; freedom from arrest in civil cases; exemption from jury duty and appearance as a witness; and, in general, freedom from obstruction and intimidation.
Compare: privilege
parliamentary procedure
(procédure parlementaire): The rules by which the House conducts its business, based on statutes, the Standing Orders, authoritative procedural works, precedents, and tradition. Decisions by the Speaker on points of order and questions of privilege are based on these rules.
Parliamentary Procedure and Practice in the Dominion of Canada
(Parliamentary Procedure and Practice in the Dominion of Canada): A work concerning procedure in the House of Commons, written by Sir John Bourinot, Clerk of the House from 1880 to 1902. The fourth edition appeared in 1916. Commonly referred to simply as Bourinot.
Compare: procedural authority
parliamentary return
(état parlementaire): A document for which an order or address of the House has been made. A parliamentary return may either be laid on the Table or filed with the Clerk.
Parliamentary Secretary
(secrétaire parlementaire): A member of the government party named to assist a Minister as the Minister directs. A Parliamentary Secretary may table documents or answer questions on the Minister’s behalf, but may not present government bills.
party
(parti): See: political party
party discipline
(discipline de parti): The control exercised by a party over the positions held by its members and over the way in which they vote. The enforcement of party discipline is one of the whip’s duties.
party vote
(vote de parti): A division on a question during which Members follow the instructions of their respective whips so as to reflect the official positions of their parties. The Speaker calls first the yeas, then the nays and the votes are taken party by party, in order of their strength in the House.
Compare: free vote; row-by-row vote
Synonym: whipped vote
passage (of a bill)
(adoption (1) d'un projet de loi): The process by which a bill obtains parliamentary approval and becomes law. The principal steps in the passage of a public bill by the House of Commons are: introduction; first reading; second reading; committee stage; report stage; and third reading. After completing similar stages in the Senate, the bill goes forward for Royal Assent.
permissive instruction
(instruction facultative): An instruction that gives a committee the power to do something it would not otherwise be able to do, but does not compel the committee to use that power.
Compare: mandatory instruction
petition
(pétition): A formal request made to Parliament by Canadian residents for redress of a grievance. Such a request can only be presented to the House by a Member. Petitions may be presented during Routine Proceedings at every sitting or may be filed with the Clerk.
petition for a private bill
(pétition introductive d'un projet de loi privé): A petition signed by the promoters of a private bill which must be filed with the Clerk by the Member sponsoring the bill.
plebiscite
(plébiscite): An official consultation conducted by a government on a specific issue by way of a ballot. The results of a plebiscite are not binding.
Compare: referendum
point of order
(rappel au Règlement): A question raised by a Member with respect to any departure from the Standing Orders or customary procedures, either in debate or in the conduct of House or committee business. Points of order are decided by the Speaker whose decision is final, or, in committee, by the chair, whose decision may be appealed to the committee.
political party
(parti politique): A group of people sharing a particular ideology and set of goals that nominates candidates for election to Parliament.
Compare: recognized party; third party
portfolio
(portefeuille): The responsibilities of a Cabinet Minister, especially the subject matter or government department with which he or she is charged. Portfolios are assigned by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister.
posting of private bills
(affichage des projets de loi privés): The posting in the lobbies of a list of private bills. The list indicates the committee to which each bill has been referred and the date on which the committee may begin its study. Notice of such posting is appended to the Journals.
postponement of a clause
(report de l'étude d'un article): Under certain conditions, a committee puts off a decision on a clause until later. The Standing Orders provide that the short title always be postponed until the end of clause-by-clause consideration.
Synonym: stand a clause (more frequently used term)
prayer
(prière): At every sitting of the House, the Speaker reads prayers before any business is entered upon. No one is admitted to the galleries until the reading of the prayer is completed.
prayer (of a petition)
(requête (d'une pétition)): That part of a petition in which the petitioners present their request for action in response to an alleged grievance. The prayer must be concise, clear and respectful.
preamble
(préambule): The part of a bill preceding the main text that states the reasons for its introduction and the ends which it seeks to attain. Preambles are required in all private bills.
pre-budgetary consultations
(consultations pré-budgétaires): Commencing on the first sitting day in September of each year, the Standing Committee on Finance is authorized to consider and make reports upon proposals regarding the budgetary policy of the government.
precedent
(précédent): A Speaker's ruling or a practice of the House taken as a rule for subsequent cases of a similar nature. Not all decisions and practices constitute precedents.
precinct of Parliament
(cité parlementaire): Buildings accommodating Members, the Chamber, and the rooms reserved for committee meetings. As parliamentary privilege recognizes the right of each House to regulate its own affairs, the parliamentary precinct is outside the jurisdiction of local or provincial regulatory control.
preliminary study (of a bill)
(étude préliminaire (d'un projet de loi)): Provision in Senate rules allowing a committee to study the subject matter of a bill introduced in the House so as to expedite its passage in the Senate.
Synonym: pre-study (of a bill)
Premier
(Premier ministre (2)): The title given to the leader of a provincial government.
Compare: Prime Minister
Presiding Officer
(présidence): See: Chair
press gallery
(tribune des journalistes): (1) A gallery in the House of Commons reserved for accredited members of the media.
(2) Members of the media accredited to cover the proceedings of Parliament and so granted access to the gallery reserved for them.
pre-study (of a bill)
(étude préalable (d'un projet de loi)): See: preliminary study (of a bill)
previous question
(question préalable): A debatable motion preventing any further amendment to a motion or bill before the House. If the previous question is passed, the main motion is immediately put to a vote; if negatived, the main motion is superseded.
Distinguish: closure
prima facie breach of privilege
(atteinte au privilège): See: breach of privilege
Prime Minister
(premier ministre): The Leader of the Government who is ordinarily the leader of the party having the greatest number of seats in the House of Commons. Appointed by the Governor General, the Prime Minister selects the other members of the Cabinet and, along with them, is responsible to the House for the administration of public affairs.
principle (of a bill)
(motif d'un projet de loi; principe d'un projet de loi): The object or related objects which a bill seeks to achieve. The principle of a bill is adopted at second reading.
Compare: scope (of a bill)
private bill
(projet de loi d'intérêt privé): A bill designed to exempt an individual or group from the application of the law, such as a bill to incorporate a private company. A private bill can only be introduced by a Member who is not part of the Cabinet.
Distinguish: private Member's bill
private Member
(simple député): A Member who is not a Minister. The rules also specifically exclude the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker and Parliamentary Secretaries from this designation.
Distinguish: backbencher
private Member's bill
(projet de loi émanant d'un député): A bill sponsored by a Member who is not part of the Cabinet. The term usually refers to public bills.
Distinguish: private bill
Private Members' Business
(Affaires émanant des députés; mesures d'initiative parlementaire): Bills and motions sponsored by private Members including items on the order of precedence and those outside the order of precedence. A period is devoted to the consideration of this business each sitting day.
Private Members' Business Office
(Bureau des affaires émanant des députés): Part of the Journals Branch, the office responsible for the scheduling of debate during the periods reserved for Private Members' Business and the adjournment proceedings. It also deals with the certification and processing of Members' petitions and the administrative arrangements concerning private bills.
privilege
(immunité parlementaire): Those rights and immunities enjoyed by the House as a collectivity and by each Member individually, without which Members could not carry out their duties and the House could not fulfill its functions.
Compare: breach of privilege; contempt of Parliament; parliamentary privilege
privileged motion
(motion privilégiée): A motion arising from and dependent on the subject under debate; it may be moved without notice and takes precedence over the motion then before the House. Privileged motions are of two kinds: amendments and superseding motions.
Privy Council
(Conseil privé): A formal advisory body to the Crown appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister. All Cabinet members must be sworn to the Privy Council, to which they are named for life.
procedural authority
(autorité en matière de procédure): A work dealing with the procedure and practices of the House which may be referred to for guidance in resolving points of order and questions of privilege. The most frequently cited works are those of Marleau and Montpetit, Beauchesne, Bourinot and, for British procedure, Erskine May.
procedural clerk
(greffier à la procédure): A member of the professional procedural cadre who performs various administrative and procedural duties in the Procedural Services of the House of Commons.
Compare: committee clerk
procedural motion
(motion de forme): A motion that deals with a purely routine matter, such as the first reading of a bill or its reprinting following amendment in committee.
Procedure and House Affairs Committee
(Comité de la procédure et des affaires de la Chambre): The standing committee of the House charged with ongoing review of procedure and practice as well as House administration and services. The Committee also acts as a striking committee for other committees, considers if items of Private Members’ Business should be designated non-votable, establishes the lists of associate members from which subcommittee and substitute committee members are eligible to be chosen, and carries out a variety of other functions concerning private bills and House procedures.
Compare: Board of Internal Economy
proceedings
(délibérations): The actions taken by the House of Commons or by a committee. The most important parts of the proceedings are the decisions that are taken.
proclamation
(proclamation): An official notice or order issued by the Crown. A Parliament is begun and ended by proclamation.
pro forma bill
(projet de loi fictif; projet de loi pro forma): A bill introduced at the beginning of a session for the sole purpose of asserting the Commons' right to determine the order of its deliberations, independently of the reasons for summons set out in the Throne Speech. The bill, numbered C-1, is given first reading but is not further proceeded with.
Projected Order of Business
(Ordre projeté des travaux): A tentative working agenda, published each sitting day, listing items of business expected to be taken up on that day.
promoter (of a private bill)
(promoteur (d'un projet de loi d'intérêt privé)): The person or group of persons seeking to have a private bill adopted. They must be directly affected by the bill and be signatories to the petition for its introduction.
Distinguish: mover; parliamentary agent; sponsor (of a bill)
promulgation
(promulgation): The act whereby the Governor General announces passage of a bill by Parliament and proclaims it in force.
propose the question
(proposer la question): The formal reading of a motion from the Chair which places it before the House. Until the question is proposed, it cannot be debated, amended or voted upon.
Distinguish: put the question
prorogation
(prorogation): The ending of a session of Parliament. Prorogation also refers to the period of time a Parliament stands prorogued.
Compare: dissolution
prove (the preamble of a private bill)
(motiver (un projet de loi privé)): The requirement for the committee responsible for studying a private bill to verify the allegations of fact set down in the preamble of the bill. The remainder of the bill is based upon these allegations.
provisional standing order
(article provisoire du Règlement): A standing order adopted by the House for a certain period of time. This type of order is often used for the purpose of trying out some new or modified procedure.
Compare: sessional order; special order; standing order
Public Accounts
(Comptes publics): A report on the financial transactions of the government prepared by the Receiver General for Canada. The Auditor General presents an annual audit of this document to the Speaker which is tabled in the House and automatically referred to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.
public bill
(projet de loi d'intérêt public): A bill concerned with matters of public policy; it may be sponsored either by a Minister (government bill) or by a private Member (private Member's bill).
public petition
(pétition): See: petition
Public Sector Integrity Commissioner
(commissaire à l’intégrité du secteur public): An officer of Parliament providing public service employees with an independent, external review of disclosures of wrongdoing in the workplace.
put the question
(mettre la question aux voix): To put the motion before the House to a vote. At this stage, no further debate or amendment is possible. The question is put to the House by the Speaker, meaning that the Speaker reads the main motion, followed by any proposed amendment or subamendment in order.
Distinguish: propose the question


question
(question): The matter before the House or a committee about which it is called upon to make a decision. When the House appears ready to come to a decision, the Speaker asks if the House is “ready for the question”.
question of privilege
(atteinte au privilege): See: breach of privilege
question period
(période des questions orales): See: oral question period
questions and comments period
(période de questions et d'observations): A period of time at the conclusion of certain speeches during which other Members may ask questions or make comments. During this period, the Chair will usually recognize Members of parties other than that of the original speaker.
Questions on the Order Paper
(Questions inscrites au Feuilleton): A heading under Routine Proceedings during which the government may respond to written questions printed on the Order Paper. Answers may be given either orally or in writing, or the question may be withdrawn or made an order for return.
Synonym: written question
quorum
(quorum): The number of Members, including the Speaker, necessary to constitute a meeting of the House for the exercise of its powers. In the House, it is set by the Constitution at 20; in a committee, it is a majority of the committee members.
Compare: reduced quorum
quorum call
(signaler l'absence de quorum): To draw the attention of the Speaker (or the chair, in a committee) to the absence of a quorum; the business under consideration in the House is interrupted and if a quorum is not established, the House adjourns.
Compare: count out


random draw
(tirage au sort): The method of choosing the names to establish the List for the Consideration of Private Members' Business. The names of all eligible Members are chosen at random from a ballot box.
reading of a bill
(lecture d'un projet de loi): One of the stages of the passage of a bill. The reading stages (first, second and third) of each bill have their own individual function.
reasoned amendment
(amendement motivé): An amendment expressing specific reasons for opposing the second or third reading of a bill. A reasoned amendment is intended to prevent further progress on the bill.
Compare: dilatory motion
recall of the House
(rappel de la Chambre): Pursuant to the Standing Orders, the Speaker may recall the House, when it stands adjourned during a session, to meet prior to the date that it is scheduled to reconvene.
recess
(intersession): The period between the ending of one session (prorogation) and the beginning of the next. Also used in reference to a long adjournment.
Distinguish: adjournment of the House; suspension of a sitting
recognized party
(parti « reconnu »): For administrative and financial purposes, under the provisions of the Parliament of Canada Act and the By-laws of the Board of Internal Economy, a party that has a recognized membership of 12 or more persons in the House of Commons.
recognizing visitors
(reconnaissance des visiteurs de marque): The action taken by the Speaker in formally drawing the attention of the House to the presence of a distinguished visitor in the Speaker's gallery in the Chamber.
recommittal (of a bill)
(nouveau renvoi): The referral of a bill back to committee for further amendment in a specific area or for the reconsideration of a certain clause or clauses. The recommittal is moved as an amendment to the motion for third reading of the bill.
recorded division
(vote par appel nominal): A vote where the names of those voting for and against a motion are registered in the official record of the House or of one of its committees. In the House, a recorded division may be requested by five Members rising. Members vote by rising in their places and bowing to the Speaker as their names are called by a Table Officer.
Compare: division list; secret vote; voice vote
Distinguish: row-by-row vote
Synonyms: recorded vote
recorded vote
(vote inscrit): See: recorded division
reduced quorum
(quorum réduit): The number of members of a committee authorized by the committee to meet for the sole purpose of hearing witnesses. At a meeting with a reduced quorum, no motion may be proposed and no vote may be taken.
Compare: quorum
referendum
(référendum): An official consultation conducted by a government on a specific issue by way of a ballot. The results of a referendum are binding on the government.
Compare: plebiscite
referral (to a committee)
(renvoi (à un comité)): The sending of a bill (before or after second reading), a resolution or a question to a committee for study and report. Depending on the objectives of the referral, it may be made to a standing, legislative or special committee or to a Committee of the Whole.
Register of Paired Members
(registre des députés « pairés »): A register kept at the Table in which are entered the names of paired Members. By registering, Members indicate that they will not take part in any recorded division held on the date for which they are registered.
Compare: pairing
regulations
(règlements): A form of law, often referred to as delegated or subordinate legislation, which sets out rules that are usually of general application, rather than rules that apply to specific persons or situations. Regulations are not made by Parliament but by persons or bodies to whom Parliament has delegated the authority to make them, such as the Governor in Council or a Minister.
reinstate a bill
(rétablir un projet de loi): To return a government bill to the Order Paper at the stage it had attained prior to prorogation (it is not necessary in the case of private Members' bills). Bills may be reinstated either by unanimous consent or by government motion.
Compare: die on the Order Paper
Replenishment of the Order of Precedence
(reconstitution de l’ordre de priorité): The order of precedence for Private Members’ Business may not contain more than 30 items (motions and bills) nor fewer than 15 items. The Order of Precedence is replenished when necessary by adding items from the next 15 Members on the List for the consideration of Private Members’ Business, who have an eligible item.
See: List for Consideration of Private Members' Business; Order of Precence
report progress
(faire rapport de l'état de la question): To report to the House from a Committee of the Whole, indicating that the Committee has not concluded its deliberations. Such a report is necessary because a Committee of the Whole has no power to adjourn its own sitting or to adjourn consideration of a matter to a future sitting.
report stage
(étape du rapport): The stage at which the House considers a bill as reported by a committee, with or without amendments. At this stage, all Members may propose amendments to the text of the bill, subject to the criteria set out in the Standing Orders.
report to the House
(rapport à la Chambre): A written or oral statement by a committee to the House, giving the results of an inquiry or requesting additional powers. For a committee studying a bill, the bill itself, and any amendments made thereto, constitutes its report.
reprimand
(réprimande): Pursuant to an order of the House of Commons, a formal reproof addressed by the Speaker to a person adjudged guilty of a breach of privilege or of a contempt of the House.
Compare: admonition
reprint (of a bill)
(réimpression (d'un projet de loi)): If a bill is amended substantially at committee stage, the committee may order a reprint when it reports the bill to the House. When the House has passed a bill at third reading, it is reprinted for use of the Senate.
rescind a resolution
(abroger une résolution): To cancel the effect of a resolution previously adopted by the House. A motion to rescind does not deal a second time with a question already decided during the session.
Compare: discharge an order
Synonym: revoke a resolution
resolution
(résolution): A motion adopted by the House in order to make a declaration of opinion or purpose. A resolution does not have the effect of requiring that any action be taken.
Compare: order
responsible government
(gouvernement responsable): The principle that Ministers are collectively responsible to the House for the actions of the government. The legislative branch of government thus exercises control over the executive.
Distinguish: Cabinet solidarity; ministerial responsibility
return
(état parlementaire): See: parliamentary return
return of the writs
(retour des brefs d'élection): See: writ of election
revoke a resolution
(révoquer une résolution): See: rescind a resolution
riding
(comté): See: electoral district
right of reply
(droit de réplique): The right of the mover of a substantive motion or a motion for second reading of a bill to speak a second time in debate. As this second speech closes the debate, the Speaker will so inform the House when recognizing the Member.
routine motion
(motion de régie interne): A motion required for the observance of the proprieties of the House, the maintenance of its authority, the management of its business, the arrangement of its proceedings, the establishing of the powers of its committees, the correctness of its records or the fixing of its sitting days or the times of its meeting or adjournment. In committee, it is a motion adopted in order to establish a practice for committee members to follow throughout a session of Parliament. The committee may thus agree on items of routine business such as a notice requirement for new business, document distribution, time for opening remarks and questioning of witnesses, etc.
Compare: housekeeping motion
Routine Proceedings
(Affaires courantes ordinaires): Business of a basic nature for which a daily period is set aside in the House. It includes such items as tabling of documents, presenting petitions, introduction and first reading of bills and statements by Ministers.
Compare: Daily Proceedings of the House
row-by-row vote
(vote par rangée): Recorded vote in which Members rise one row at a time rather than by party, usually starting on the Speaker's right. This method is used in the House for free votes and votes on private Members' business (where, as a courtesy, the sponsoring Member votes first, followed by the other Members on his or her side of the House). It is also used in Committee of the Whole, but only the yeas and nays are recorded, rather than the votes of individual Members.
Compare: recorded division
Distinguish: party vote; voice vote
Royal Assent
(sanction royale): The approval, by a representative of the Crown, of a bill passed by the House and the Senate, making it into an Act of Parliament. By tradition, Royal Assent is accorded in the Senate Chamber, usually by a deputy of the Governor General in the presence of Members of the House and Senate. Alternatively, it may be signified by a written declaration, either by the Governor General or her/his deputy.
Distinguish: Royal Consent
Royal Consent
(consentement royal): Consent signified by a Minister, on behalf of the Crown, to a bill affecting the prerogative, hereditary revenues, personal property or interest of the Sovereign. Bills that require Royal Consent must be withdrawn if they do not receive it.
Distinguish: Royal Assent
Royal Prerogative
(Prérogative royale): The rights, powers and privileges enjoyed and/or exercised by the Crown.
royal recommendation
(recommandation royale): A message from the Governor General, required for any vote, resolution, address or bill for the appropriation of public revenue. Only a Minister can obtain such a recommendation.
ruling
(décision): See: decision


schedule
(annexe): An appendix to a bill that contains matters of detail not suitable for inclusion in a clause, or the text of an agreement that the bill brings into effect. Schedules form part of a bill and are subject to amendment, with the exception of treaties and agreements which fall within the prerogative of the Crown.
scope (of a bill)
(portée d'un projet de loi): The field of applicability of a bill as indicated by its text. The adoption of a bill at second reading establishes its scope, which may not be altered or extended by subsequent motions to amend. Bills sent to committee before second reading can have their scope altered.
Compare: principle (of a bill)
scroll
(plumitif): The handwritten record of proceedings in the House of Commons kept by a Table Officer and used to prepare the Journals.
seat
(siège): (1) The desk in the House assigned to a Member. Members are accorded seats in the House not as individuals but in their capacity as representatives of their electoral districts.; (2) The electoral district which a Member represents.
seating plan
(plan de salle): A floor plan of the Chamber showing the location of each Member’s desk. Printed copies are distributed to Members and to visitors in the galleries. It is also posted on the Web site.
second reading
(deuxième lecture): The stage in the passage of a bill at which the principle and object of a bill is either accepted or rejected. Detailed consideration is not given to the clauses of the bill at this stage.
Compare: scope (of a bill)
seconder
(appuyeur): A Member who formally supports a motion or amendment in the House of Commons. The Member does not actually need to speak in order to support a motion but may simply indicate his or her consent. Motions in committee do not require seconders.
secret session
(séance à huis clos): A sitting of the House of Commons, or a part of a sitting, which only Members and certain officers of the House may attend. The public and all other House personnel, including the Hansard reporters, are refused admittance or are ordered to withdraw.
Compare: in camera meeting
secret vote
(scrutin secret): A vote by secret ballot. This method of voting is used only for the election of the Speaker, for the election of committee chairs and vice-chairs (if more than one candidate is nominated), and for appeals on the votability of items of Private Members' Business.
Compare: recorded division
section of an Act
(article): Each separate division of an Act, numbered with an Arabic numeral. The clauses of a bill become sections once the bill is assented to.
Senate
(Sénat): The Upper House of the Canadian Parliament consisting ordinarily of 105 Senators appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister. The Senate possesses all of the powers of the House of Commons except that of initiating financial legislation.
Senate bill
(projet de loi du Sénat): A bill, either public or private, which is first introduced in the Senate. Such bills, prefixed with the letter “S” rather than “C”, are considered in the House only after they have been passed by the Senate.
Sergeant-at-Arms
(sergent d'armes): A senior official of the House appointed by Governor in Council, the Sergeant-at-Arms assists the Clerk as head of Parliamentary Precinct Services, performing certain ceremonial functions and being responsible for security and building services.
session
(session): One of the fundamental time periods into which a Parliament is divided, usually consisting of a number of separate sittings. Sessions are begun by a Speech from the Throne and are ended by prorogation or dissolution of the Parliament.
Distinguish: sitting
sessional allowance
(indemnité de session): An annual allowance paid to Members of the House of Commons in accordance with the Parliament of Canada Act.
sessional order
(ordre sessionnel): An order governing the conduct of the business of the House or of its committees which has effect only for the remainder of the session in which it is adopted.
Compare: provisional standing order; special order; standing order
sessional paper
(document parlementaire): Anydocument tabled in the House or filed with the Clerk during a given session. All such documents are open to public scrutiny.
shadow cabinet
(cabinet fantôme): The group of Members in each opposition party, especially the Official Opposition, chosen to act as party critics for each of the ministerial portfolios.
short title (of a bill)
(titre abrégé (d'un projet de loi)): The title of a proposed Act, used for purposes of citation. Short titles need not cover all of the provisions of a bill.
Compare: long title (of a bill)
sine die adjournment motion
(motion d'ajournement sine die): In committee, motion which has the effect of adjourning the consideration of a matter without assigning a day for further consideration; the net effect is to end consideration of the matter.
single member plurality system
(système uninominal majoritaire à un tour): See: first-past-the-post system
sitting
(séance): A meeting of the House of Commons within a session. Although usually a calendar day, a sitting may last for only a matter of minutes or may extend over several days.
Compare: session
six (three) months' hoist
(renvoi à six (trois) mois): An amendment at second or third reading of a bill which has the effect of a rejection of a bill. It proposes that the bill not now receive second (or third) reading, “... but that it be read a second (or third) time this day six (three) months hence.”
solemn affirmation
(affirmation solennelle): A solemn affirmation sworn by a Member before taking a seat in the House of Commons. A solemn affirmation is an alternative to the oath of allegiance and has the same effect.
Compare: oath of allegiance
Speaker
(Président): The Member elected by the House (by secret ballot) to preside over its proceedings. In particular, he or she is responsible for maintaining order and decorum. As Chair of the Board of Internal Economy, the Speaker oversees the administration of the House. In addition, the Speaker is the spokesperson and representative of the House of Commons in its relations with the Senate, the Crown and other bodies outside the House of Commons.
Synonym: first Commoner
Speaker's Chair
(fauteuil du Président): The chair at the north end of the Commons Chamber occupied by the Speaker or another Presiding Officer when the House is in session. When the House is in Committee of the Whole, the Speaker’s Chair is vacated and the Chair of the Committee occupies the Clerk’s place at the Table.
Speaker's Parade
(Cortège du Président): A parade consisting of the Speaker, the Sergeant-at-Arms with the Mace, the Clerk of the House and other House officials which departs from the Speaker's Office for the House several minutes prior to the opening of the sitting.
special committee
(comité spécial): A group of Members, or of Members and Senators, appointed to study a particular matter. Once it has made its final report, the committee ceases to exist.
special order
(ordre spécial): An order of the House adopted to regulate its affairs for a limited period of time or to deal with a particular matter.
Compare: provisional standing order; sessional order; standing order
special session
(session spéciale): Brief session held for a specific purpose at a time of the year when the House does not usually sit. From a procedural standpoint, a special session is like any other session.
Speech from the Throne
(discours du Trône): A speech normally delivered by the Governor General at the opening of a session of Parliament (although it may be read by the reigning monarch), which outlines the government's legislative plans for the session. The speech is delivered in the Senate Chamber in the presence of the Members of both Houses.
Synonym: Throne Speech
sponsor (of a bill)
(parrain (d'un projet de loi)): The Member or Minister who presents a bill in the House of Commons.
Distinguish: parliamentary agent; promoter (of a private bill)
stand a clause
(report de l'étude d'un article; réserver un article): See: postponement of a clause
standing committee
(comité permanent): A permanent committee established in the Standing Orders of the House. It may study matters referred to it by standing or special order or, within its area of responsibility, undertake studies on its own initiative.
standing order
(ordre permanent): A permanent order adopted by the House to regulate its proceedings. Standing orders may be altered or repealed only by a subsequent decision of the House.
Compare: provisional standing order; sessional order; special order
Standing Orders
(Règlement): The collection of the permanent written rules adopted by the House to govern its proceedings.
starred question
(question marquée d'un astérisque): A question on the Order Paper for which an oral response is requested. In current practice, the question is superscribed with the numeral “1” rather than with an asterisk as indicated in the Standing Orders.
Statements by Members
(Déclarations de députés): A daily 15-minute period preceding the oral question period, when Members who are not Cabinet Ministers may make statements on matters of national, regional or local importance. Statements are limited in length to one minute and opportunity to speak is given equally to all private Members.
Statements by Ministers
(Déclarations de ministres): A heading under Routine Proceedings during which a Minister may, if he or she desires, make a short factual announcement or statement of government policy. Spokespersons of recognized opposition parties are given an opportunity to comment and the day's schedule is adjusted to compensate for the time taken.
Status of House Business
(État des travaux de la Chambre): A publication of the House that provides cumulative information on the status of all bills introduced by the government, motions and written questions brought forward during the session, and private Member’s bills introduced during the Parliament.
statute
(loi): A law which has been formally approved by Parliament (an Act of Parliament) and published as part of the Consolidated Statutes of Canada.
statutory debate
(débat légal): A statutory debate occurs when a statute has included provisions for a debate on the floor of the House with regard to an order, regulation, declaration, guideline or other instrument of delegated legislation.
statutory expenditures
(dépenses statutaires): Expenditures authorized by Parliament outside the annual supply process. Acts authorizing statutory expenditures give the government the authority to withdraw funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for one or more years without the annual approval of Parliament. The amounts to be spent are included in the estimates for information only, and are not dealt with in the appropriation bills since the amounts have already been appropriated.
statutory instruments
(textes réglementaires): Regulations, orders, commissions or other instruments issued by virtue of power conferred by an Act of Parliament or by the Governor in Council. Statutory instruments are subject to review by the Standing Joint Committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations.
statutory item
(poste législatif): An item included in the estimates for information purposes only, for which legislative approval already exists.
See: statutory expenditures
Statutory Order
(Ordre d'origine législativel): Order made pursuant to a power conferred by a statute.
statutory review
(examen législatif): Review by a committee, as stipulated in a statute, of the provisions or operation of an Act of Parliament.
steering committee
(comité directeur; comité de direction): See: subcommittee on agenda and procedure
stranger
(étranger): Anyone who is not a Member of the House of Commons or an official of the House. This includes Senators, diplomats, departmental officials and journalists, as well as members of the public. Strangers are admitted to the galleries but may be expelled if there is a disturbance or if the House so orders.
striking committee
(comité de sélection): A committee charged with preparing lists of Members to serve on the standing and legislative committees of the House. The Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs has among its responsibilities that of acting as striking committee.
sub judice convention
(convention relative aux affaires en instance sub judice (ou judiciaire)): A convention whereby Members refrain from making reference to certain matters, particularly criminal cases, which are before the courts. It does not apply to bills.
subamendment
(sous-amendement): An amendment to an amendment. A subamendment must be relevant to the amendment it seeks to modify, rather than to the original question.
subcommittee
(sous-comité): A committee of a committee, to which the latter may delegate its powers, except the power to report to the House. Not all committees are granted the power to establish subcommittees.
subcommittee on agenda and procedure
(sous-comité du programme et de la procédure): A subcommittee normally established at the organization meeting of a standing, legislative or special committee to plan the committee's work.
Synonym: steering committee
subordinate legislation
(décrets-lois): See: delegated legislation
subsidiary motion
(motion subsidiaire): A motion that is procedural in nature, dependent on an order already made by the House, and used to move forward a question then before the House. Motions for the second and third readings of bills are subsidiary motions.
Compare: main motion; substantive motion
Synonym: ancillary motion
substantive motion
(motion de fond): An independent proposal that is complete in itself. Normally such motions require written notice before they can be moved in the House.
Compare: subsidiary motion
substitute member (of a committee)
(substitut): A Member designated to replace a permanent member of a committee at one or several of its meetings. When such a substitution has been made, the substitute enjoys all of the regular member's rights and privileges in committee.
summoning a witness
(assignation d'un témoin): Ordering a witness to appear at the Bar of the House or before one of its committees. Witnesses are summoned before committees only after they have declined an invitation to appear.
Distinguish: invitation to appear
summoning Parliament
(convocation du Parlement): The convocation of a Parliament following a general election. Parliament is summoned by a proclamation issued by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister.
superseding motion
(motion de remplacement): A motion moved for the purpose of superseding or replacing the question before the House. It may be either a dilatory motion or a motion for the previous question.
supplementary estimates
(budget supplémentaire des dépenses): An expenditure plan introduced to provide funds to the government to meet new or increased expenses. The government may introduce as many sets of supplementary estimates in a given fiscal year as it deems necessary.
supplementary question
(question supplémentaire): A question seeking clarification or further information following a Minister's response to a question during the oral question period. The Speaker has wide discretion in permitting the posing of supplementary questions.
supply
(travaux des subsides): See: business of supply
supply bill
(projet de loi de crédits): See: appropriation bill
supply day
(jour des subsides): See: allotted day
supply motion
(motion de crédits; motion de subsides): Any motion, including an opposition motion on an allotted day, moved under the continuing order of the day for the consideration of the business of supply. Supply motions for concurrence in the estimates give rise to appropriation bills.
Synonym: supply day motion
supply period
(période des subsides): One of three periods into which the year is divided for the purpose of the consideration of the business of supply. Opposition or allotted days are divided among the supply periods, which end, respectively, on December 10, March 26 and June 23.
suspend a Member
(suspendre un député): The action of dismissing a Member from the service of the House and its committees for one or more days as a result of disorder. This action may be exercised by the Speaker alone, or as an order of the House.
Compare: expel a Member; name a Member
suspension of a sitting
(suspension d'une séance): A pause during the course of a sitting of the House of Commons. When the sitting is suspended, the Speaker leaves the Chair but the Mace remains on the Table.
Distinguish: adjournment of the House; recess
swearing in a witness
(assermentation d’un témoin): Requiring a witness to take an oath or make a solemn affirmation when testifying before a committee.


Table
(Bureau): (1) The Table in front of the Speaker's Chair at which the Clerk and the other Table Officers sit. Copies of frequently consulted procedural authorities are kept on the Table for the convenience of Members and the Mace is placed on it when the House is sitting.
(2) The Table Officers are also collectively referred to as the Table.
table
(déposer): To place a document before the House or a committee for consideration or consultation.
Synonym: lay on the Table
table by the back door
(déposer auprès du Greffier): To table a document, which is required by statute, by order of the House or by Standing Orders, by filing it with the Clerk. A record of such tabling is printed in the Journals.
table by the front door
(déposer à la Chambre): To table a document in the House of Commons. A Minister or a Parliamentary Secretary may do this during the period set aside during Routine Proceedings or at any other time during the sitting.
Table Officers
(greffiers au Bureau): The clerks who provide procedural advice during sittings of the House, take the votes and keep the minutes of proceedings.
Compare: scroll
Synonym: Clerks-at-the-Table
Tabling of Documents
(Dépôt de documents): The first item called by the Speaker under Routine Proceedings. At this time, Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries have the opportunity to table returns, reports, responses to petitions or committee reports and other documents.
take note debate
(débat exploratoire): Debate on a motion that includes the words that the House “takes note” of an issue to allow Members to express their views. The rules that apply to such a debate are those applied to a Committee of the Whole, with some exceptions.
taxation bill
(projet de loi d'imposition et de taxation): Bill introduced by a Minister proposing to introduce a new tax, to increase an existing tax, to continue an expiring tax or to extend the application of a tax, or a bill introduced by a Member proposing to reduce an existing tax.
test roll
(registre d'assermentation): A register signed by Members in witness to their having taken the oath of allegiance or having made the solemn affirmation required by the Constitution Act, 1867. Once they have taken the oath and signed the roll, Members may take their seats in the House.
third party
(tiers parti): Generally, a political party represented in the House that is smaller in size than the Official Opposition party.
third reading
(troisième lecture): The last stage of consideration of a bill in the House, at the conclusion of which the bill as a whole is either finally approved or rejected.
Throne Speech
(discours du Trône): See: Speech from the Throne
Thursday Statement
(déclaration du jeudi): See: Weekly Business Statement
time allocation
(attribution de temps): The allocation of a specific period of time for the consideration of one or more stages of a public bill.
Compare: guillotine
Distinguish: closure


unanimous consent
(consentement unanime): The consent of all Members present in the House that is required when the House wishes to set aside its rules or usual practices without notice. Actions taken by unanimous consent do not constitute precedents.
Synonym: leave (of the House)
unicameralism
(unicaméralisme): A parliamentary system in which the legislative power is vested in one chamber.
unparliamentary language
(expressions non parlementaires; propos non parlementaires): Words or expressions contrary to the proprieties of the House. A Member who refuses to withdraw unparliamentary language may be named by the Speaker.
unwhipped vote
(vote libre): See: free vote
upper house
(chambre haute): See: Senate
Usher of the Black Rod
(huissier du Bâton noir): An officer of the Senate whose responsibilities include delivering messages to the Commons when its Members' attendance is required in the Senate Chamber by the Governor General or a deputy of the Governor General.


vice-chair
(vice-président (d'un comité)): The person elected as deputy to the chair of a standing or special committee.
visitors
(visiteurs): Distinguished persons who are invited to the Speaker's gallery in the Chamber and recognized by the Speaker, or foreign heads of State or of government who address parliamentarians from the floor of the House.
Compare: recognizing visitors
voice vote
(vote par oui ou non): An oral vote held without recording individual Members' votes or the number of yeas and nays.
Compare: recorded division
Distinguish: row-by-row vote
vote
((1) vote; (2) crédit): (1) The formal expression of opinion for the purpose of reaching a decision. In the House, votes are given either orally or by the Members standing in their places.
See: division; recorded division; voice vote
(2) An individual item of the estimates indicating the amount of money required by the government for a particular program or function.
Compare: appropriation
See: business of supply
Synonym: item
vote by show of hands
(vote à main levée): In committee, a vote by show of hands is recorded in the minutes by indicating the number, but not the names, of the members who voted for or against a motion.


ways and means
(travaux des voies et moyens): See: business of ways and means
ways and means motion
(motion de voies et moyens): A motion proposing to introduce a new tax, to increase an existing tax, to continue an expiring tax or to extend the application of a tax. If adopted, it becomes an order that a bill or bills based on its provisions be brought in.
Compare: notice of ways and means motion
Weekly Business Statement
(déclaration hebdomadaire): A statement normally made at the end of oral question period on Thursday, outlining the Government business to be considered in the following week. It is made by the Government House Leader, usually in response to a question from the Opposition House Leader.
Synonym: Thursday Statement
Whip
(whip): A Member charged with keeping other Members of the same party informed concerning House business and ensuring their attendance in the House or in committee, especially when a vote is anticipated. Each party normally has a Chief Whip and one or more Deputy Whips.
whipped vote
(vote de parti): See: party vote
white paper
(livre blanc): A document tabled in the House presenting government policy in a given area. It may contain legislative or administrative proposals on which the government intends to act.
Distinguish: green paper
witness
(témoin): A person invited to appear before a committee to present an opinion on a particular topic or to provide technical advice with respect to a bill. While testifying, witnesses enjoy the same privilege of freedom of speech as Members.
Compare: invitation to appear; summoning a witness
writ of election
(bref d'élection): A document issued by the Chief Electoral Officer in order to institute an election in a specific electoral district. Following the election and the validation of the results, the name of the elected candidate is recorded on the writ by the returning officer who signs and returns it to the Chief Electoral Officer. Subsequently, the Chief Electoral Officer will send to the Clerk of the House of Commons a certificate of election for elected candidates.
Compare: certificate of election
written question
(Questions inscrites au Feuilleton): See: Questions on the Order Paper

Updated: January 2009

This Glossary of Parliamentary Procedure is produced by Procedural Services of the House of Commons for the information of the general public. For further information or to make any comments concerning this Glossary please contact the Table Research Branch at trbdrb@parl.gc.ca