Motions
Article 9
Section 44 – Motions
- A Member may make a Motion that:
1. Affects the Meeting’s procedures, as set out in this Procedures Bylaw; or
2. Takes action on the matter that is currently before the Board for debate. - A Member may make procedural Motions defined in Section 44(G):
1. At any time when the Member has the floor, or
2. Subject to Section 44(B)(1), when the Board is considering a matter, a Member may only make Motions to adopt, amend, receive, defer or refer the matter, and may only do so when the Member has the floor. - A Member may make a Motion, other than a procedural Motion defined in Section 44(G), if it is:
1. In writing in a form acceptable to the Head of Commission Services; and
2. Signed by the Member making the Motion. - Motions must be concise and unambiguous.
- A Member makes his or her Motion by reading it before:
1. Any Member speaks about the Motion;
2. The Motion is debated; or
3. The Motion is put to a vote. - The Chair may refuse to recognize any Member who wishes to make a Motion that does not meet the requirements in Section 44(A)(B)(C)(D) or (E).
- The Board will consider the following procedural Motions in the following order:
1. Motion to Amend the order of business/agenda;
2. Motion to adjourn;
3. Motion to recess;
4. Motion to End Debate;
5. Motion to extend debate;
6. Motion to limit debate;
7. Motion to fix a time for a reconvened meeting;
8. Motion to reopen;
9. Motion to resolve into Committee of the Whole;
10. Motion to Refer; and
11. Motion to Defer. - The following Motions are not in order:
1. A Motion that breaks the rules of the Procedures Bylaw; and
2. A Motion on a matter beyond the Board’s authority - The Chair rules on whether motions are in order.
- The recommendations in the reports to the Board are the main Motions for the Board to debate and:
1. Must be introduced;
2. Are considered moved when they are announced; and
3. Are considered adopted without amendment by consent, unless the Board decides otherwise. - Only Notices of Motion and Motions without Notice require seconding. No other Motions require seconding.
Section 45 – Withdrawal of notice of motion from the Board
After a Member has made a Motion, the Member may only withdraw it with the consent of the Board.
Section 46 – Amendments
- A Motion to Amend has the effect of varying the main Motion.
- The amendment must relate to the main Motion, and cannot propose:
1. A contrary action to the Motion it is proposing to amend; or
2. A new or changed Board policy unless the subject of the proposed policy is the main Motion’s subject. - An amendment may propose that a different or additional action be taken on the subject matter of the main Motion provided it is directly relevant to the main Motion.
- An amendment is out of order if it is a substantive motion on other business beyond the subject matter of the main Motion.
- On an amendment, Members may only debate the merits of the amendment, not the merits of the Motion the amendment proposes to amend.
- An amendment to an amendment must relate to the amendment.
- An amendment may only be amended once.
- An amendment to an amendment is put to a vote before the amendment.
- Despite Section 46(H), when the amendment changes numbers, the numbers are put to a vote in ascending order dealing with the smallest number first.
Section 47 – Motion to Receive for Information
- A Motion to Receive for information has the effect of the Board taking no further action on a matter, or part of a matter, and placing it in the Head of Commission Services’ records for future reference.
- A Motion to Receive for information may be made at any time during debate.
- A Motion to Receive for information:
1. Is debatable; and
2. Cannot be amended.
Section 48 – Motion to Defer
- A Motion to Defer has the effect of postponing consideration of a matter.
- A Member may make a Motion to Defer at any time during debate.
- A Motion to Defer is a procedural motion and takes precedence over any non-procedural motion or amendment.
- A Motion to Defer is put to a vote immediately after it is debated.
- A Motion to Defer includes:
1. The time to which the matter is deferred, or a description of circumstances that cause the Motion to be brought back; and
2. An explanation of the Motion’s purpose. - On a Motion to Defer, Members may only debate:
1. The merits of deferring the matter; and
2. The merits of the time or circumstances to which the matter is to be deferred under Section 48(E)(1). - Members may speak about a Motion to Defer or question the mover about a Motion to Defer for up to two minutes.
- The only allowable amendments to a Motion to Defer are changing the time or circumstances to which the matter is deferred.
- A Member may question the member amending a Motion to defer for up to two minutes.
- A Motion to Defer applies to all Motions that have been made to that point in time, including all Motions that the Board has not yet debated.
- A Motion to Defer must be disposed of before debate on the main Motion may resume.
- A matter that the Board has deferred may only be brought back for debate before the time of circumstances to which it was deferred with an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Members present.
- A Motion to Defer a matter includes a Motion to Refer that matter, so there will be only one debate for each matter before the Board.
Section 49 – Motion to Refer
- A Motion to Refer has the effect of requesting a TTC official, department or other body to investigate the matter and report back on the matter.
- A Member may make a Motion to Refer at any time during debate.
- A Motion to Refer is a procedural motion and takes precedence over any non-procedural motion or amendment.
- A Motion to Refer is put to a vote immediately after it is debated.
- A Motion to Refer includes:
1. The name of the body, department or official to whom the matter is referred;
2. The subject matter or question to be investigated;
3. The time period within which the matter will be reported back to the Board; and
4. Any additional information. - On a Motion to Refer, Members may only debate:
1. The merits of referring the matter;
2. To whom the matter should be referred; and
3. The time period within which the matter is to be reported back. - Members may speak about a Motion to Refer or question about a Motion to Refer for up to two minutes.
- A Member may question a Member amending a Motion to Refer for up to two minutes.
- A Motion to Refer may apply to:
1. The entire matter, including all Motions that have been made to that point in time; or
2. Part of the matter, including specific Motions to Amend that have been made to that point in time. - The Motion to refer under Section 50(I)(1) must be disposed of before debate on the main Motion resumes.
- A Motion to Refer a matter includes a Motion to Defer the matter, so that there will be only one debate for each matter before the Board.
Section 50 – Reconsideration
- Subject to Sections 50(B) and 50(C) once the Board decides a matter, no Member may make a Motion that would change the decision within the twelve- month period following the decision of the Board unless the Term of all of the Commissioners has expired.
- Subject to Section 50(C), A Member who voted with the prevailing side on a matter may make a Notice of Motion or Motion Without Notice to reconsider a matter originally decided. The Motion to reconsider a matter previously decided is not heard at the same Meeting as the Motion.
- A Member who voted with the prevailing side on a matter may make a Motion to reconsider the matter originally decided at the same Meeting at which the matter was originally decided and if passed, the matter may be reconsidered at the same Meeting.
- A Motion to reconsider made under Sections 50(B) or 50(C) requires the consent of the Board on a two-thirds vote of the Members present to pass.
- A Motion to reconsider a matter is:
1. Not debatable; and
2. May not be amended. - A Motion to reconsider a matter, unless it specifies otherwise, opens the entire matter, and either:
1. Amends the previous decision; or
2. Cancels the entire previous decision. - If a Motion to reconsider a matter passes, all previous decisions on the matter remain in force, unless the Board decides otherwise.
- A Motion to reconsider a matter is a procedural motion.
Section 51 – Motion to adjourn Meeting
- A Member who has the floor may make a Motion to adjourn any time during a Meeting except when another Member has indicated to the Chair his or her desire to speak on a matter before the Board.
- A Motion to adjourn:
1. Is not debatable; and
2. Cannot be amended. - A Motion to adjourn will be put to a vote immediately.
- A Motion to adjourn is a procedural motion.

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