Senate Committee Member Opposition

In the simulation, you will:

• present a dissenting opinion to a report presented in the sitting and/or
• propose an amendment to a bill and/or
• vote on a bill

A committee is a group of Senators 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 of 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 Senate Chamber.

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 Senate.