NDP's Malcolmson seeks secret ballot vote of MPs to save bill on abandoned boats - Politics - CBC Ne
As a giant polisci nerd, I find this fascinating and intruiging...
"In a show of backbencher strength, NDP MP Sheila Malcolmson could become the first MP in history to force her colleagues in the House of Commons into a secret ballot to save a piece of legislation.
Malcolmson plans to appeal directly to House of Commons Speaker Geoff Regan today hoping he'll let her private members' bill to establish a national strategy on abandoned vessels proceed to debate.
The bill, first introduced in 2016 and then updated last spring, was deemed earlier this month to be "non-votable" by the House of Commons procedural committee because it deals with the same issue now being dealt with by a government bill.
That legislation, C-64, was introduced by Transport Minister Marc Garneau in October, more than six months after Malcolmson's bill. Although they both deal with abandoned vessels the bills are not identical.
Oak Bay cleans up derelict boats as problem persists along B.C.'s coast
Feds to ban 'blight' of abandoned boats, bring in penalties for owners
In order to ensure all private members' bills are eligible to be considered by the House of Commons they go through a review process. Malcolmson's bill didn't survive that process, with the Liberals on the House procedural committee deeming it to be non-votable and the NDP and Conservative MPs voting to allow it to proceed.
In the past this has been the end of the line for legislation but Malcolmson and the NDP have found a 14-year-old rule introduced to give backbenchers more power. It has never before been used..."
NDP's Malcolmson seeks secret ballot vote of MPs to save bill on abandoned boats - Politics - CBC News
"In a show of backbencher strength, NDP MP Sheila Malcolmson could become the first MP in history to force her colleagues in the House of Commons into a secret ballot to save a piece of legislation.
Malcolmson plans to appeal directly to House of Commons Speaker Geoff Regan today hoping he'll let her private members' bill to establish a national strategy on abandoned vessels proceed to debate.
The bill, first introduced in 2016 and then updated last spring, was deemed earlier this month to be "non-votable" by the House of Commons procedural committee because it deals with the same issue now being dealt with by a government bill.
That legislation, C-64, was introduced by Transport Minister Marc Garneau in October, more than six months after Malcolmson's bill. Although they both deal with abandoned vessels the bills are not identical.
Oak Bay cleans up derelict boats as problem persists along B.C.'s coast
Feds to ban 'blight' of abandoned boats, bring in penalties for owners
In order to ensure all private members' bills are eligible to be considered by the House of Commons they go through a review process. Malcolmson's bill didn't survive that process, with the Liberals on the House procedural committee deeming it to be non-votable and the NDP and Conservative MPs voting to allow it to proceed.
In the past this has been the end of the line for legislation but Malcolmson and the NDP have found a 14-year-old rule introduced to give backbenchers more power. It has never before been used..."
NDP's Malcolmson seeks secret ballot vote of MPs to save bill on abandoned boats - Politics - CBC News