Bill C-291

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First Reading

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	1st Session, 36th Parliament, 46 Elizabeth II, 1997
	The House of Commons of Canada
	BILL C-291
	An Act to provide for petitions presented to the House of Commons that have 250,000 or more signatures to be subsequently prepared as bills so far as possible and introduced in the House
	Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:
Short title	1. This Act may be cited as the Petition Act.
Opinion respecting petition	2. Where a petition bearing 250,000 or more signatures is presented to the House of Commons in accordance with the standing orders of the House, the member presenting the petition shall forthwith request the proper officers of the House of Commons for an opinion as to whether any or all of the objects of the petition may be achieved by legislation that
	(a) is within the jurisdiction of Parliament; and
	(b) may be originated by a bill introduced by a private member.
Member provided with opinion	3. The proper officers of the House of Commons shall prepare and provide to the member the opinion referred to in section 2 within ten days of the request.
Preparation of bill	4. If the opinion is that any or all of the objects of the petition may be achieved by legislation that
	(a) is within the jurisdiction of Parliament, and
	(b) may be originated by a bill introduced by a private member,
	the proper officers of the House shall prepare and send to the member a bill that would achieve those objects.
Introduction of bill	5. A member who receives a bill pursuant to section 4 shall introduce it in the House of Commons no later than the thirtieth day on which the House sits after the member receives it.