Bill C-6, current status, FACTS only

[ashlobo]

Thank you so much for this thread spyfy ! I had to google quite a bit before I started getting a grasp on the proposed changes to the current citizenship requirements.

This might sound silly, but is it possible that the bill can be set aside without any voting in the current session ? Or must it be voted one way or the other ? I just ask since in India, which has a very similar westminster parliamentary system, bills do get deferred often (especially when the govt thinks it can be defeated).

Of course, It would be awesome if it does indeed go through! I would be eligible mid next year instead of in 2020!

 

[spyfy]

Thank you so much for this thread spyfy ! I had to google quite a bit before I started getting a grasp on the proposed changes to the current citizenship requirements.

This might sound silly, but is it possible that the bill can be set aside without any voting in the current session ? Or must it be voted one way or the other ? I just ask since in India, which has a very similar westminster parliamentary system, bills do get deferred often (especially when the govt thinks it can be defeated).

Of course, It would be awesome if it does indeed go through! I would be eligible mid next year instead of in 2020!

Theoretically, it is possible that a bill gets "shelved". And indeed, when a parliamentary session ends, such a shelved bill ends up "in the bin".

However, it would be a very rare occurence that the senate rejects a bill that fulfills all of the following three conditions:
(a) it is a Government billl
(b) it was passed by the House of Commons
(c) it is backed up by the electoral platform of the elected government (aka "election promise")

Such events are truly singular in recent Canadian history (The senate maybe rejects or "shelves" one government bill every one or two years and rarely are they election platform bills)

Shelving happens often to private member bills (Non-government sponsored ones) which this bill isn't.

The amendment itself is a different story, of course. But the Senate could reject the amendment and still accept the whole bill.

Also, as in my most recent post I want to point out that the majority seems to have had enough of the Conservative Senator's delay tactics and voted down three adjournment requests today.

 

[spyfy]

What will happen on Tuesday, April 4th?

You can now find the order paper for Tuesday here:
https://sencanada.ca/en/content/sen/chamber/421/orderpaper/108op_2017-04-04-e

Here's the explanation:

There are three motions before the senate at the moment:
1. The motion that C-6 is read the third time (and therefore passes the Senate)
2. The motion to amend C-6 (appeals process)
3. A new motion to change the amendment: replace "written notice by the minister" into "notice by the minister".

The motions have to be dealt with from bottom to top.

They were having a vote on the last motion (no. 3) on Thursday (March 30) just by voices (that means all in favour say "Aye" and then all against say "Nay" and the Speaker says which one he thinks is more). The Speaker then said he thinks the Nays were more. However, if two senators insist, there is an actual roll call where every senator's vote is recorded. This was the case (for the third time that day by the way). However, since it was quite late, the Senate voted to be adjourned until Tuesday, 2pm. However, since they will start with the usual Question Period etc, they fixed the time for this roll call to 5:30pm.

As you can see, the 5:30pm vote will be on:
That the motion in amendment be not now adopted, but that it be amended by replacing the words “written notice” by the word “notice”.

This means this vote by name will only be on the question if "written notice" should be replaced by "notice".

Afterwards they will still have to do vote no. 2 in the list above and then vote no. 1 in the list above (in that order), all this will be intertwined with debate and will not happen in a day for sure.

 

[kwtangerine]

Thanks for the summary update, spyfy. Thanks for keeping true to the spirit of the thread even though some people strayed.

 

[vanmover]

spyfy, you are a hero.

 

[subha_1962]

Sen. Mobina Jaffer‏Verified account @SenJaffer
Replying to
Tories are a caucus attached to a House of Commons caucus. The rest of us are not. Fun only starting #senCA

What do you think is the significance of this tweet by Senator Jaffer

 

[subha_1962]

And see this tweet by some person or organization

ImmiTrack‏ @immitrack 7h7 hours ago
Replying to @MajidAfsarinia @ratnaomi and

the only people delaying bill #c6 are @CPC_HQ @SenateCA @LindaFrum for political gain

 

[spyfy]

I don't think it's worth to try to interpret these tweets so much. The Conservatives are in the minority, so they are using the only thing they have which are delay tactics. That frustrates the Liberals and Independents. Just like us, Senators are humans who sometimes use twitter as a method to vent and to point at others.

So from my point of view these tweets don't really give any new information. Since, as usual, I want to stick to facts, I don't want to read too much into it.

 

[Whocares]

I don't think it's worth to try to interpret these tweets so much. The Conservatives are in the minority, so they are using the only thing they have which are delay tactics. That frustrates the Liberals and Independents. Just like us, Senators are humans who sometimes use twitter as a method to vent and to point at others.

So from my point of view these tweets don't really give any new information. Since, as usual, I want to stick to facts, I don't want to read too much into it.

Just a question.

Are liberals the majority in the senate? or are you adding the independents who are either appointed by a conservative or liberal parties to the majority of liberals?

 

[spyfy]

Just a question.

Are liberals the majority in the senate? or are you adding the independents who are either appointed by a conservative or liberal parties to the majority of liberals?

Here's the breakdown of the Senate:
39 Conservative Party
34 Independent Senator Group
19 Liberals
8 Non-affiliated

The delay tactics on Thursday were organized by the Conservative Caucus (as Senator Jaffer pointed out in her Tweets) which has - as you can see - 39 of 100 seats which is the minority.

No single group has the majority. The Independent Senator Group includes many senators appointed by Liberal Prime Ministers as well as Conservative Prime Ministers. The ISG also includes the government representative and the sponsors of both the bill and the amendment. This, however, doesn't mean that one can sort the Independent Senators along those lines. There were Senators in committee appointed by Conservative Prime Ministers who voted in favour of the bill. Maybe later we will witness some individuals doing the opposite (opposing it although appointed by a Liberal PM).

But again, the caucus that organized these delays is in a minority of 39 of 100.

This is also supported by the fact that all delaying attempts were voted down by the senate on Thursday by votes of 28 to 39, then then 23 to 37 and then 21 to 29 (there were less senators present later).

This does not mean the delaying will stop now. They can still ask for adjournment votes etc. This might still cost time.

 

[JasFer]

Sen. Mobina Jaffer Retweeted
Peter Harder‏
Verified account
@SenHarder 1h
1 hour ago

Replying to @SenJaffer @msuhailwaterloo @ratnaomi
We are using all the tools at our disposal to pass Bill C-6 before Easter

 

[Whocares]

Sen. Mobina Jaffer Retweeted
Peter Harder‏
Verified account
@SenHarder 1h
1 hour ago

Replying to @SenJaffer @msuhailwaterloo @ratnaomi
We are using all the tools at our disposal to pass Bill C-6 before Easter

They couldn't even vote for the amendment and it was adjourned last week!!!! They have no tools.....

 

[Hamid khan]

Sen. Mobina Jaffer Retweeted
Peter Harder‏
Verified account
@SenHarder 1h
1 hour ago

Replying to @SenJaffer @msuhailwaterloo @ratnaomi
We are using all the tools at our disposal to pass Bill C-6 before Easter

is it true Bill C-6 before Easter

 

[razerblade]

is it true Bill C-6 before Easter

speculation

 

[spyfy]

It's Senate Sitting Day! Weeee!

Current status: Since, on Thursday, they fixed the voting time for the amendment of the amendment to 5:30pm, that is when they will have that vote and then possibly continue the debate on the actual amendment after.

As far as I know the Senate can't continue the debate until this particular vote has been dealt with. This means there won't be any C-6 business happening until 5:30pm.

The rough schedule is:
- Right now they are debating Bill C-4
- They will then continue with other bills until 3:30
- At 3:30, they will have question period which usual goes on for 30 minutes
- They will then continue with other bills
- Unless the Senate votes to change the schedule, at 5:30 they will have the vote on the amendment of the amendment to C-6 and then continue with C-6. Since this is a vote by name, they will interrupt the sitting for this. I am not sure if this voting break will END at 5:30 or if the break for voting STARTS at 5:30. We shall see.