Manitoba Legislative Library
Definitions of Parliamentary and Government Terms
Act
A law passed by the Legislative Assembly which has received Royal Assent. Reference # 6
A bill which has been passed by both the House of Commons and the Senate, has received Royal Assent and has been proclaimed. Unless a provision of the Act specifies otherwise, the Act comes into force on the date of Royal Assent. Reference #3
Auditor's Report
Auditor's Report which evaluates and criticizes the way in which the government handles and reports upon its financial affairs. Reference #2
Bill
Draft of proposed legislation, amendment or repeal of an existing law, or appropriation of public money. Reference #6
A proposed law submitted to Parliament for its approval. It may originate either with the Government, with a private Member or from a Committee and may relate either to public or private interests. Bills may be first introduced in either the House or the Senate, but money bills must be introduced in the House by a minister. Reference #3
Budget
The Budget is a group of related documents which describe the financial condition of the government. These include:
the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the coming fiscal year;
the Budget Speech which presents the estimates in summary form and describes any tax or other revenue changes that are being proposed. Reference #2
The Government's statement of its fiscal, economic and social policies. It is usually presented once a year, although there is no requirement for an annual presentation. Reference #2
Budget Speech
Statement by the Minister of Finance concerning anticipated fiscal plans, revenues and expenditures of the Government for a fiscal year. Reference #6
Debates or Hansard
Verbatim transcript of speeches made in the House. Also known as Hansard. Reference #6
The printed verbatim record of the proceedings in the House published after each sitting, and based on the edited and corrected text of the "blues". The Debates are often identified as "Hansard" which is the name of the British family originally responsible for the transcription of the proceedings of the House of Commons in the United Kingdom. Reference #3
Estimates
The proposed expenditures for each government department, agency, board and commission. Reference #7
The departmental expenditure plans, consisting of Main Estimates, tabled annually, and Supplementary Estimates, tabled as required. Consideration of the Estimates is a major component of the business of supply.Reference #3
Gazette
A government's official newspaper. Reference #5
Journals
The official record of the proceedings of the Assembly. Compiled from the Votes and Proceedings, edited, corrected, indexed and published at the conclusion of each Session. Reference #6
The official record of the decisions and other transactions of the House. It is based on the scroll prepared by the Table Officers and is published the day following each sitting day. At the end of a session it is issued in bound form. Reference #3
Order Paper
The daily agenda of matters that may be dealt with by the House on that day. Reference #6
This is the official agenda of the House of Commons, published for each sitting day, listing all References that may be brought forward for that particular day. Reference #3
Order in Council
An order made by the Lieutenant governor of Governor General by and with the advice of the Executive or Privy Council, sometimes under statutory authority or sometimes by virtue of royal prerogative. Reference #5
Orders of the Day
References of business placed on the agenda of the House (the Order Paper). Reference #3
Order Paper
The official agenda of the House of Commons, published for each sitting day, listing all References that may be brought forward on that particular day. Reference #3
Standing Order
A rule of form which regulates procedure in the House of Commons. Reference #5
Public Accounts
Presents detailed information on revenues, expenditures, financial assets and liabilities and on the source and application of fund for the fiscal year just completed. Reference #2
While all external links provided throughout the Virtual Reference Desk are selected by Library staff as possible sources of information, the Library is not responsible for maintaining these external sites nor for their continued availability.
- Alberta. Legislative Assembly. Parliamentary Terms.
- Barber, Clarence L. On the form and presentation of the government of Manitoba's budget. Winnipeg : Dept. of Finance, 1983
- Canada. Parliament. House of Commons. Office of the Clerk. A Glossary of Parliamentary Procedure. 2nd edition. Ottawa, Ont. : Clerk of the House of Commons, June 1997.
- Canada. Parliament. House of Commons. Office of the Clerk. Table Research Branch. Compendium: House Of Commons Procedure Online. Ottawa : Clerk of the House of Commons, c2008.
- Dukelow, Daphne A and Nuse, Betsy. Dictionary of Canadian Law. 2nd ed., Scarborough, Ont. : Carswell, 1995.
- Manitoba. Legislative Assembly. Office of the Clerk. Fact sheets. (No. 3 Legislative Terminology). Winnipeg: Office of the Clerk, 1995-.
- Ontario. Legislative Assembly. Glossary of Parliamentary Terms. Toronto, Ont.: Office of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, 2002.
- Saskatchewan. Legislative Assembly. Legislative Assembly Publications. 2001.
