Section 44 – Motions

  1. A Member may make a Motion that:
    (1) Affects the Meeting’s procedures, as set out in this Procedural By- law; or
    (2) Takes action on the matter that is currently before the Commission for debate.
  2. A Member may make procedural Motions defined in Section 44(G):
    (1) At any time when the Member has the floor; or
    (2) Subject to Section 44(B)(1), when the Commission is considering a matter, a Member may only make Motions to adopt, amend, receive, defer or refer the matter, and may only do so when the Member has the floor.
  3. A Member may make a Motion, other than a procedural Motion defined in Section 44(G), if it is:
    (1) In writing in a form acceptable to the General Secretary; and
    (2) Signed by the Member making the Motion.
  4. Motions must be concise and unambiguous.
  5. A Member makes his or her Motion by reading it before:
    (1) Any Member speaks about the Motion;
    (2) The Motion is debated; or
    (3) The Motion is put to a vote.
  6. The Chair may refuse to recognize any Member who wishes to make a Motion that does not meet the requirements in Section 44(A)(B)(C)(D) or (E).
  7. The Commission will consider the following procedural Motions in the following order:
    (1) Motion to Amend the order of business/agenda;
    (2) Motion to adjourn;
    (3) Motion to recess;
    (4) Motion to End Debate;
    (5) Motion to extend debate;
    (6) Motion to limit debate;
    (7) Motion to fix a time for a reconvened meeting;
    (8) Motion to reopen;
    (9) Motion to resolve into Committee of the Whole;
    (10) Motion to Refer; and
    (11) Motion to Defer.
  8. The following Motions are not in order:
    (1) A Motion that breaks the rules of the Procedural By- law; and
    (2) A Motion on a matter beyond the Commission’s authority.
  9. The Chair rules on whether motions are in order.
  10. The recommendations in the reports to the Commission are the main Motions for the Commission to debate and:
    (1) Must be introduced;
    (2) Are considered moved when they are announced; and
    (3) Are considered adopted without amendment by consent, unless the Commission decides otherwise.
  11. Only Notices of Motion and Motions Without Notice require seconding. No other Motions require seconding.

Section 45 - Withdrawal of notice of motion from the Commission

After a Member has made a Motion, the Member may only withdraw it with the consent of the Commission.

Section 46 - Amendments

  1. A Motion to Amend has the effect of varying the main Motion.
  2. The amendment must relate to the main Motion, and cannot propose:
    (1) A contrary action to the Motion it is proposing to amend; or
    (2) A new or changed Commission policy unless the subject of the proposed policy is the main Motion’s subject.
  3. An amendment may propose that a different or additional action be taken on the subject matter of the main Motions provided it is directly relevant to the main Motion.
  4. An amendment is out of order if it is a substantive motion on other business beyond the subject matter of the main Motion.
  5. On an amendment, Members may only debate the merits of the amendment, not the merits of the Motion the amendment proposes to amend.
  6. An amendment to an amendment must relate to the amendment.
  7. An amendment may only be amended once.
  8. An amendment to an amendment is put to a vote before the amendment.
  9. Despite Section 46(H), when the amendment changes numbers, the numbers are put to a vote in ascending order dealing with the smallest number first.

Section 47 – Motion to Receive for Information

  1. A Motion to Receive for information has the effect of the Commission taking no further action on a matter, or part of a matter, and placing it in the General Secretary’s records for future reference.
  2. A Motion to Receive for information may be made at any time during debate.
  3. A Motion to Receive for information:
    (1) Is debateable; and
    (2) Cannot be amended.

Section 48 – Motion to Defer

  1. A Motion to Defer has the effect of postponing consideration of a matter.
  2. A Member may make a Motion to Defer at any time during debate.
  3. A Motion to Defer is a procedural motion and takes precedence over any nonprocedural motion or amendment.
  4. A Motion to Defer is put to a vote immediately after it is debated.
  5. A Motion to Defer includes:
    (1) The time to which the matter is deferred, or a description of circumstances that cause the Motion to be brought back; and
    (2) An explanation of the Motion’s purpose.
  6. On a Motion to Defer, Members may only debate:
    (1) The merits of deferring the matter; and
    (2) The merits of the time or circumstances to which the matter is to be deferred under Section 48(E)(1).
  7. Members may speak about a Motion to Defer or question the mover about a Motion to Defer for up to two minutes.
  8. The only allowable amendments to a Motion to Defer are changing the time or circumstances to which the matter is deferred.
  9. A Member may question the member amending a Motion to defer for up to two minutes.
  10. A Motion to Defer applies to all Motions that have been made to that point in time, including all Motions that the Commission has not yet debated.
  11. A Motion to Defer must be disposed of before debate on the main Motion may resume.
  12. A matter that the Commission has deferred may only be brought back for debate before the time of circumstances to which it was deferred with an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Members present.
  13. A Motion to Defer a matter includes a Motion to Refer that matter, so there will be only one debate for each matter before the Commission.

Section 49 – Motion to Refer

  1. A Motion to Refer has the effect of requesting a Commission official, department or other body to investigate the matter and report back on the matter.
  2. A Member may make a Motion to Refer at any time during debate.
  3. A Motion to Refer is a procedural motion and takes precedence over any nonprocedural motion or amendment.
  4. A Motion to Refer is put to a vote immediately after it is debated.
  5. A Motion to Refer includes:
    (1) The name of the body, department or official to whom the matter is referred;
    (2) The subject matter or question to be investigated;
    (3) The time period within which the matter will be reported back to the Commission; and
    (4) Any additional information.
  6. On a Motion to Refer, Members may only debate:
    (1) The merits of referring the matter;
    (2) To whom the matter should be referred; and
    (3) The time period within which the matter is to be reported back.
  7. Members may speak about a Motion to Refer or question about a Motion to Refer for up to two minutes.
  8. A Member may question a Member amending a Motion to Refer for up to two minutes.
  9. A Motion to Refer may apply to:
    (1) The entire matter, including all Motions that have been made to that point in time; or
    (2) Part of the matter, including specific Motions to Amend that have been made to that point in time.
  10. The Motion to refer under Section 49(I)(1) must be disposed of before debate on the main Motion resumes.
  11. A Motion to Refer a matter includes a Motion to Defer the matter, so that there will be only one debate for each matter before the Commission.

Section 50 - Reconsideration

  1. Subject to Sections 50(B) and 50(C) once the Commission decides a matter, no Member may make a Motion that would change the decision within the twelve-month period following the decision of the Commission unless the Term of all of the Commissioners has expired.
  2. Subject to Section 50(C), A Member who voted with the prevailing side on a matter may make a Notice of Motion or Motion Without Notice to reconsider a matter originally decided. The Motion to reconsider a matter previously decided is not heard at the same Meeting as the Motion.
  3. A Member who voted with the prevailing side on a matter may make a Motion to reconsider the matter originally decided at the same Meeting at which the matter was originally decided and if passed, the matter may be reconsidered at the same Meeting.
  4. A Motion to reconsider made under Sections 50(B) or 50(C) requires the consent of the Commission on a two-thirds vote of the Members present to pass.
  5. A Motion to reconsider a matter is:
    (1) Not debateable; and
    (2) May not be amended.
  6. A Motion to reconsider a matter, unless it specifies otherwise, opens the entire matter, and either:
    (1) Amends the previous decision; or
    (2) Cancels the entire previous decision.
  7. If a Motion to reconsider a matter passes, all previous decisions on the matter remain in force, unless the Commission decides otherwise.
  8. A Motion to reconsider a matter is a procedural motion.

Section 51 - Motion to end debate

  1. A Member who has the floor may make a Motion to End Debate on the matter currently under debate at any time during the debate.
  2. A Motion to End Debate:
    (1) Is not debateable;
    (2) Cannot be amended; and
    (3) Is carried by a two-third vote of Members present.
  3. A Motion to End Debate is put to a vote immediately.
  4. If a Motion to End Debate passes, the matter before the Commission, including the main Motion and any amendments, will be put to a vote.
  5. If a Motion to End Debate fails, the Member who made the Motion to End Debate cannot speak again on the matter.
  6. A Motion to End Debate is a procedural motion.

Section 52 - Motion to adjourn Meeting

  1. A Member who has the floor may make a Motion to adjourn any time during a Meeting except when another Member has indicated to the Chair his or her desire to speak on a matter before the Commission.
  2. A Motion to adjourn:
    (1) Is not debateable; and
    (2) Cannot be amended.
  3. A Motion to adjourn will be put to a vote immediately.
  4. A Motion to adjourn is a procedural motion.