Governor General's Special Warrants () are documents authorizing
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
's
President of the Treasury Board to spend money appropriated by
Parliament
In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
. The
Governor General may also issue a special warrant which allows the government to spend funds without an appropriation from Parliament. A special warrant may only be issued when money is "urgently needed" after Parliament has been dissolved and until sixty days after the dates set for the return of
election writs.
Until 1997, when an act sponsored by
Peter Milliken received royal assent, special warrants were available whenever Parliament was not is session, including adjournments and
prorogations. Milliken had introduced similar bills since 1989 in response to the use of special warrants in 1988.
Parliament convened in December 1988 and adjourned quickly without considering appropriations. During the adjournment and subsequent prorogation, the government resorted to special warrants to fund operations.
The issue was raised in both chambers after Parliament returned.
References
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Canadian federal legislation
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Royal prerogative
Emergency laws
Edicts
Decrees