About Standing Committees
How Standing Committees Operate
After receiving First and Second Reading, a Bill is referred to a Standing or Special Committee, or to a Committee of the Whole House by the Government House Leader for consideration. It is during this third stage, the Committee Stage, that the content of a Bill is reviewed in detail and public presentations are heard.
Members of the public interested in making a presentation relating to a particular Bill referred to a Standing Committee may register to do so by using our online presenter registration form or contacting the Office of the Clerk at (204) 945-3636.
Standing Committees may also consider annual reports of Crown Corporations and Independent Offices of the Assembly.
Committee meetings will be broadcast live on the Assembly website and YouTube (Room 255) and (Room 254). Everyone, including members of the public and the media, are able to watch. It will also appear in our broadcast archive thereafter.
FAQs
HOW ARE STANDING COMMITTEES SELECTED?
At the start of the first session of each Legislature, the House Leaders determine the proportional representation of Members by party to serve on the various Committees.
WHO PRESIDES OVER THE MEETINGS?
Every committee has a Chairperson. At the first meeting of a Committee or in the case of a vacancy, the first order of business is the election of a Chairperson.
THE CHAIRPERSON'S ROLE
The Chairperson maintains order and decides all questions of order, subject to an appeal to the Committee.
CAN THE CHAIRPERSON VOTE?
Only when votes are tied can a Chairperson cast the deciding vote.
MEETING LOCATION
Committee meetings are usually held at the Legislative Building. There have been a number of occasions in the past, however, where meetings have been held in rural areas.
WHO CALLS THE MEETINGS?
The Government House Leader schedules the meetings after the Bill receives Second Reading.
REGISTRATION TO MAKE A PRESENTATION
Once the Bill receives First Reading, members of the public may register to speak at Committee stage by completing the online presenter registration form on our website. Alternately, you may register by phoning the Office of the Clerk at (204) 945-3636.
NOTICE OF MEETING
There is no way of knowing how far in advance a Committee meeting will be scheduled. If presenters are registered to speak to a bill, two calendar days’ notice must be given during sittings of the Legislature of the first meeting considering the Bill.
VIEWING PROCEEDINGS
The public may watch the proceedings of a Committee meeting in Rooms 254 and/or 255 of the Legislative Building. Both rooms are wheelchair accessible. All Standing Committee meetings are also broadcast and are available to watch on our website: Committee Broadcasts and on our YouTube channels: Room 255 and Room 254.
NO INTERSESSIONAL MEETINGS TO CONSIDER LEGISLATION
It has been established that unless agreed to by the Government and Opposition House Leaders, Standing Committees cannot meet to hear public presentation on legislation during the following months: January, February, June, July and August.
TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS
Presenters may access committee manuscripts online by accessing the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba website at https://www.gov.mb.ca/legislature/hansard/hansard.html or by viewing copies at the Legislative Library.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Once a Committee considers a Bill, the Chairperson reports all findings to the House. This is followed by the Report Stage, Concurrence and Third Reading, and Royal Assent.
Please see Fact Sheet No. 4: "How Laws are Made", for further details.