Elizabeth May: Points of Order - Bill C-38

Mr. Speaker, I am rising on a point of order today. It may be a little lengthy, so I would just like to establish that it will be acceptable to omit various page and section references and submit them in written form so that members are able to refer to the various precedents that I will be citing, just in the interests of time.

I rise on a point of order related to Bill C-38. My point of order is based on Standing Order 68(3), which states "No bill may be introduced either in blank or in an imperfect shape".

First, let me set aside the argument I will not be advancing. I will not argue that C-38 goes too far as an omnibus bill or that it should be split. I will argue that C-38 is not properly an omnibus bill at all and therefore cannot benefit from the trend toward over-large and complex omnibus legislation.

I seek a ruling that the bill has not been put forward in its proper form, is therefore imperfect and must be set aside.

My first observation in relation to the standing rule and how I hope that the precedent will lead you to interpret it comes from a citation of the House in 1982 in which an hon. member said:

"Shape", according to the Oxford Concise Dictionary, is a synonym for "form". Therefore, a bill according to Standing Order 69 [as it then was] must not be in imperfect form. The question of a bill's form is extensively dealt with in our parliamentary authorities...

A few of which are then cited from that era.

[Entire Speech: http://elizabethmaymp.ca/parliament/p...]

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  News & Politics

[groganzolla1]

BRILLIANT! Elizabeth May is the Champion of Democracy whereas the Stephen Harper Government is offering nothing more that deMOCKracy. Thank you Elizabeth!



[waxinggrasshopper]

This is why studying policy and parliamentary procedure is fun! Way to go Elizabeth May!

[lNORTHl]

Elizabeth May for the Next Leader of the Opposition!!

[WaterLilies31]

Wow. I am very impressed. Thank you so much for showing Parliament that there still are members that respect the institutions our country was built on.

[111623yrs]

She's thus far has done more that makes sense then the Government has ever... She is proven herself to be quite the winner.. I respect her immensely . She has my vote and the vote of many of my friends people including myself felt that she is not ready to be leader of Canada well I'm not sure anymore she is very smart she understands the law and what she needs to do.. I think we are going to be surprised just as we were by the NDP getting those many votes in 2011~

[rob clement]

Thanks for speaking up for my unborn grandchildren. i'm sure they're going to be asking me what i was doing when/if C-38 gets rammed through.

[dweit4]

This is, without a doubt, the best parliamentary speech I have ever watched (I also read it twice!)

Way to go Elizabeth May! You have my attention now

Keep up the pressure

[wildkubera]

Exceptional work from an MP who doesn't get extra funding from parliament to do research like the "Official Parties" do. Imagine what Greens could do with enough seats to get official party status!

Green party memberships free until Canada Day

[SaskatoonBerryPie]

She knows her procedure.

[docatomics]

...when amongst Romans (corporate lawyers in this case)

~do as they do

=use the back door miss may, gooooooood !