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December 15, 1988
The Speaker: Honourable Members will recall that yesterday afternoon I entertained extensive argument with respect to the motion standing under Government Order No. 1 for today. There were two...
The Speaker rules that a government motion to suspend Standing Orders is procedurally in order, as the House has the authority to alter its own rules by a majority vote.
July 11, 1988
Mr. Speaker: I want to bring to the attention of honourable Members that on Friday last there was some discussion in this Chamber as to a certain action taken by the other place, and for those...
The Speaker rules that the Senate infringed the privileges of the House of Commons by unilaterally splitting a money bill and invites the House to assert its rights.
June 13, 1988
The Speaker: On June 7, 1988, the honourable Member for Kamloops—Shuswap rose on a point of order relating to Government Business No. 26 on the Order Paper. The item of business deals with the...
The Speaker rules that the government may use a simple majority vote on a motion under Government Orders to suspend Standing Orders, including the parliamentary calendar for the summer recess.
June 8, 1988
The Speaker: I am now ready to rule on the arguments given some days ago with respect to Bill C-130. In my view, they were excellent arguments. I wish to advise honourable Members that the Chair...
The Speaker ruled that the omnibus free trade implementation bill (C-130) was procedurally acceptable because its many amendments were unified by the single purpose of enacting an international treaty.
January 28, 1988
The Speaker: On Monday, January 25, the honourable Member for Kamloops—Shuswap raised a matter relating to the actions of the former Commissioner of Canada Elections, Mr. Joseph Gorman, in...
The Speaker denied a question of privilege, ruling that an official acting within powers granted by Parliament does not constitute a contempt of the House.
November 18, 1987
On October 30, 1987: Mr. Speaker: Yesterday the honourable Member for Skeena took a position with the Chair that he would not withdraw remarks which are clearly unparliamentary, the kind of...
A Prime Minister's statement accusing opposition parties of being against regional interests was ruled not unparliamentary because it targeted parties generically, not individual members.
September 24, 1987
Emergency Debates / Motions to Adjourn – Emergency Debates September 24, 25, 28, 29, 30, 1987 Debates, pp. 9266, 9346-7, 9368, 9421-2, 9498 October 1, 2, 1987 Debates, pp. 9522, 9608 Context On...
The Speaker denied repeated requests for an emergency debate, ruling that the matter's importance alone was insufficient to meet the procedural requirements.
November 9, 1981
The microphones are activated upon instructions from the Chair and only when the Chair gives the floor to a Member by identifying him by the name of his constituency. This is the only way to be...
The Speaker rules that only formal recognition by the Chair, not an activated microphone, grants a Member the right to speak.
April 6, 1976
"Standing committees are and must remain the masters of their own procedure". For many years in this House the Chair has refrained from sitting in appeal on procedural decisions taken in standing...
The Speaker affirms the principle that standing committees control their own procedures and the Chair will not hear appeals from their decisions.
March 31, 1969
The established form of a committee recommendation dealing with legislative proposals is that the Government take into consideration the advisability of introducing legislation for a specified...
A Speaker's ruling clarifies that minor formal errors in a committee report may be overlooked, while substantive and constitutional arguments are matters for the House to decide, not the Chair.