Part II: Key Procedural Terms

Procedural Rules & Motions

    a. Procedural Rules & Types of Motions

• Rules of Procedure means the rules and procedures set out in this By-law, for the calling, place and proceedings of the meetings of Council and its Committees.
• Code of Conduct: A set of guidelines and rules that local board members must adhere to, ensuring they respect and cooperate with other members and city staff, maintain confidentiality, and participate impartially​
• Motion means a proposal by a member for the consideration of Council or a Committee included in the published agenda, that is moved by a member and seconded by another member. A Motion may be Procedural or Substantive in nature.
• Main Motion means a proposal by a member that begins the process of making any decision for consideration of Council or a Committee, that is moved by a member and seconded by another member.
• Procedural Motion  means any motion concerning the manner or time of consideration of any matter before the Council or the Committee, as opposed to the substance thereof, and includes, without limitation, the following: a motion to adjourn; to call the question; to go into committee of the whole; to recess; to refer; to defer; to go into a closed meeting; to suspend the rules of procedure and to lift.
• Notice of Motion means advanced, written notice, given by a member and received by the Clerk, advising Council or Committee that a Motion will be brought forward at a future Meeting of Council or Committee that may be included in the published agenda or in the addendum.
• Amend means to alter or vary the terms of a main motion without materially changing its purpose, and amendment has a corresponding meaning.
• Friendly Amendment: An amendment made to a motion with the consent of the mover and seconder.
• Defer means to delay consideration of a matter by Council or a Committee until a specified time or event.
• Refer: To send a matter for further consideration.
• Question means an issue before a meeting on which a decision has to be made. A question cannot be debated, amended or voted on until it has been proposed as a motion.
• Point of Order means a question raised by a member with respect to any departure from the Procedural By-law or in the practiced conduct of Council or Committee business.
• Point of Privilege means a matter that affects the credibility, reputation, and dignity of a Member individually or that Council or Committee collectively hold, that ensures Council’s or a Committee’s ability to function freely; a need for assistance, to be excused for illness or a personal emergency.
• Point of Information means when a matter needs further explanation that a member could request seeking clarification from the previous speaker.
• Consent Items means those items on an agenda of a Standing Committee; SubCommittee or Advisory Committee that may be approved by Committee without debate.

    b. Meeting Types

• Closed Meeting: A meeting not open to the public.
• Hybrid: Meetings where members participate both virtually and in-person.
• In-Person: Meetings where members participate physically.

    c. Meeting Guidelines

• Decorum:The behaviour expected of members during a meeting to maintain order and respect. The Chair ensures decorum is upheld​
• Quorum means the number of members required to be present at a meeting to validate the transactions of its business.
• Majority for the purposes of voting, means more than half the total of members of Council or Committee present and not prohibited by statute from voting.
• Recess: A short break in the meeting proceedings.
• Receive: To acknowledge the receipt of information.

Now having explored the different terms used in Council & Committee meetings, try testing yourself by completing the interactive activities in Part III of this Unit ..  

Move on to Unit 3: Key Terms Guide (Part III)