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Dominion Day done in by deceit
 June 29, 2008
As Canadians prepare to celebrate their national holiday, few will realize that they are also celebrating a dirty bit of political chicanery. It all begins at 4 p.m. on Friday, July 9, 1982.
The House of Commons meets in afternoon session, and only one item is on the agenda: Bill C-201, a private member’s bill to change the name of the July 1 holiday from “Dominion Day” to “Canada Day.”
Fewer than 12 of the 282 members the House show up for work, which presents a procedural problem because a quorum of at least 20 members is required to conduct business. Officially, no bills could be passed. Nevertheless, Bill C-201 is given second and third reading. The time is 4:05 p.m. Our hard-working representatives call it a day.
What transpired in those five minutes was a contempt of Parliament, but nobody cared. When the error was brought to the attention of Speaker Jeanne Sauvé the following Monday, she said no procedural rules had been broken because nobody called for a quorum count. A quorum was deemed to exist, thus making the actions of the House lawful.
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