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MUNICIPAL LAW, IH.»

11:8. The Previous Question in Canmlu is uKvunh ^'ivtii in tliis
t'orni : " 1 iiiovo timt this (|iicsti(jn 1)»' now put." Tliis motion Htoi)s till
•inuMiilnicnts on tlic main (|Ut'.stioii until it is (li,Hj»os('(l of, ami it' thuiT is an
aintMulniunt alrrady l)t't'oiT tiic llou.sf, the previous (|Ucstioncamiot Lo niovi-d t
until the aniondmcnt i.s tir.st disjMi.sfd of, either by beinj; withdrawn or
voUhI down. While the previous (juestion preeiudes all amendments from
l)eiii}^ introduced on the main (|Uestion, it does not stop discussion on it,
uidess there is a s|)ecial rule to tliat etiect.
If tlie previ(;us (jUeHtion is allowed to >^o to v<jte and is decided in the
atiiiniativf, the main ijUestion must he put forthwith, without debate or
amendment, and if it is rejectt'd tlie orij^inai motion cannot then be put on
that day, liecaii.se tln^ Hou.se will have Just decided l)y vote tiiat it should
not " be iKnc put." Torontf City Council and some other municipal bodieK
follow the American procedure and allow both debate and amendment on
the main question after the pi'evious (pii'stion has been negatived.
The procedure l>oth in Knj,dand and the United States diH'er-s some-
what from the practice in the ('anadian Parliaments. With us, moving' the
))r(!vious (juestion does not aim atcuttin^fotidebate, but simply to preclude
amendments, and either to brinir the debate to a close bv voting- on the
)>revi(jus ([uestion or to thresh out the ([ue.stion on the ori;j;inal motion
The chairman will put this ipiestion to the house like any other one, but it
need not be allowed to <;o to a decision and the debate on the main (pies-
tion may proceed as before, unless there is a positive rule to the contrary.
The motion, " That the House do now adjourn," while the previous (|uestion
is l)efore the Hijuse, is in order; so is it in order to move the atljournment
of the debate on the previous question. The previous (|uestion is not used
in committees. Where the njotion to read the " orders of the day " has
been made the previous ipiestiou is not in order, as the other motion
answers the same purpose.
71-4 Motion for Reconsideration. The parliamentary usa^e in
C'ana<la when a mendier desiics to have a motion that has passe<| in the
athrmative rescinded, or a motion decided in the nej;ative to be l)rouj,dit up
in another form for reconsideiation, i.s to jjivc such notice of the motion.
The notice of motion to reconsider is usually j^iven on the same day the
motion was passed, or on the day foilowin<;-.
In municipal councils and other orjVani/atioiis and assemblies where
the sessicjiis an,' too .short to pei'iiiit of .such notice to lit> <,MVeu, re^^idations
are usually proxided to reconsider without notice, but only in accordance
with s|)ecitic I'ules. as that a majority or Iwo-thirds vote favorino- recon-
sideration be ri'ipiisite. Where no I'ei^ulations are provided, Cushini^'s I'ule,
"a motion to reconsider nuist be considered in the same lijflit as any other
motion, and as subject to no other ruji's," may be safely followed.
In accordance with (jur parliamentary rules a member of a lodjje or a
council could give notice on the day or at the meetiiijf that the motion was
decided, that he would at the next meeting move to reconsider or rescind
the motion in q ue.stion.
In conventions, where it wcadd not be jjossible to give notice, the
following by-law of the city of Hamilton, which does not retjuire a notice,,
would be a sufficient and .safe guide.