Routine Proceedings are an essential part of the House business and if they are not protected the interests
of the House and the public it serves are likely to suffer.
Speaker John A. Fraser
(Debates, April 14, 1987, p. 5120)
hile Chapters 8 and 9 describe the parliamentary calendar and the hours of
sitting of the House respectively, this chapter provides an outline of the recurring sequence of business
for each sitting day, that is, the daily order of business, and gives details of the major categories of
The daily business of the House is taken up according to a predetermined sequence outlined in the rules of
the House. 
In 1867, the program of the House varied according to the days of the week. 
Afterwards, almost every time major rule revisions took place, the order of business was affected. The
majority of alterations came about as a result of the changing nature of the business coming before the
House, the growing volume of government business to be transacted and changes to the hours of sitting.
All items of business that can be dealt with on a given day are listed on the daily Order Paper,
the official agenda of the House. See Figure 10.1 which depicts the day by day order of business. The
daily activities of the House are generally grouped into five categories:
- Daily Proceedings;
- Routine Proceedings;
- Government Orders;
- Private Members’ Business;
- Adjournment Proceedings.
Figure 10.1 – Daily Order of Busines
The Daily Proceedings include three events in the daily schedule: Prayers (followed by the National
Anthem on Wednesdays), Statements by Members and Oral Questions. The Daily Routine of Business, or Routine
Proceedings as it is more commonly known, consists of separate categories of business usually referred to
as rubrics and includes, among other items, tabling of documents, statements by Ministers and the
introduction of bills sponsored by either the government or private Members. Government Orders include any
item of business proposed by a Minister which the House has ordered for consideration. Each day one hour
of House time is set aside for Private Members’ Business during which bills and motions sponsored by
Members who are not Ministers are considered. The Adjournment Proceedings are the final category of
business considered on a sitting day (Fridays excepted).