Lawrence Geoffrey Power (Speaker of the Senate)
Liberal
Mr. SPEAKER.
Under rule 31 when a report has been made by a committee, a Bill may be presented on that report without any motion for the adoption of the report itself. Consequently the motion is in order.
Mr. LaRIVIERE. But the rules of the House cannot be suspended except by unanimous consent. I do not wish to offer any opposition to this Bill now, but I would ask my hon. friend to postpone his motion for a day or so.
Mr. OLIVER, I have no objection to postpone the motion for a sitting or two. If the hon. member (Mr. La Riviere) has the privilege of refusing to allow the introduction of this Bill now, and if he chooses to exercise that privilege, of course I cannot help it.
Mr. LaRIVIERE. It was understood that I should be invited to this meeting of the Standing Orders Committee, but I was not notified and I knew nothing whatever about it. If it was considered not worth while notifying me, I think it is only fair that I should exercise my prerogative now. I will not oppose the Bill going to the committee later on, but I hope the hon. gentleman will not press his motion to-day.