House Committee Member - Opposition

In the simulation, you will:

• present a dissenting opinion when a committee report is presented to the sitting
• ask a question of the Minister about the bill in committee
• move an amendment to the bill in committee, and/or
• vote on a bill

A committee is a group of MPs who have been assigned to examine a bill. They study it in depth, hear from witnesses and use their expertise to refine the bill. They also write a report, which may suggest amendments (changes).

As a committee member from the opposition, you may want to ask the Minister or other members of the governing party about their Government’s actions and policies. Since a committee is a smaller group, discussions can proceed more quickly than they would in the House of Commons.

If you disagree with your committee, a dissenting opinion can be added to the report. In this case, be prepared to make a speech on your dissenting opinion when
the report is debated in the House.