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October 17, 1980
The Member has the right to express his disagreement following the Minister's decision, and this very important question of principle certainly deserves to be debated. However, there is no...
The Speaker ruled that a Minister's non-disclosure of public opinion polls did not constitute a prima facie breach of privilege.
October 11, 1979
The Speaker: On June 1, 1994, the honourable member for Winnipeg—Transcona raised a point of order concerning the designation of party status for members of the New Democratic Party. I would like...
The Speaker ruled that the House, not the Chair, must decide on granting official party status, but used his discretion to seat the NDP caucus together on the seating plan.
October 11, 1979
The Chair is bound by the decision of the House regarding representation in the Striking Committee and its implications. Without prejudicing the issue in any way, the Speaker suggested that the...
The Speaker, while bound by the House's decision on committee representation, suggests referring the underlying issue of party status to a committee for examination.
October 22, 1975
Although "the House guards the confidentiality of draft reports at this stage of a committee's proceedings and the publication of such a report would raise the strongest suggestion that some act...
The Speaker denied a motion for one committee to investigate a joint committee's leaked report, ruling it procedurally irregular and lacking a specific allegation of misconduct.
July 25, 1975
The motions asking for a general investigation under the terms of a specialized motion of privilege Jack sufficient merit to be given precedence over other motions; there is nothing to prevent...
The Speaker found a prima facie case of privilege in a specific motion concerning false accusations against a Member, while denying precedence to a more general motion.
December 19, 1973
"... difficulties which come up in committee, to the extent they are procedural difficulties, ought to be settled there rather than in the House". The Member's motion, which does not refer the...
The Speaker ruled that a Member's motion on committee business was a substantive motion requiring 48-hours' notice, not a question of privilege.
March 16, 1972
A matter of this kind cannot be brought before the House byway of a breach of parliamentary privilege. It is doubtful that the Member can successfully claim that his parliamentary privileges have...
The Speaker denied a Member's question of privilege, ruling it was a substantive motion improperly framed as a breach of privilege.
December 30, 1971
There is nothing to suggest in the Member's charge that 'there has been a prima facie breach of the rights and immunities of Members of the House of Commons". The Chair, in effect, has been asked...
The Speaker denied a question of privilege, ruling that the complaint about government administrative actions was a legal issue, not a breach of members' rights.
June 7, 1971
The proposed motion in amendment is in the form of a substantive motion which goes significantly beyond the scope of the bill. Although it does not say so explicitly, it provides in essence that...
The Speaker ruled an amendment out of order for being beyond the scope of the bill and attempting to amend a separate, unrelated Act.
March 26, 1971
The duration of a committee sitting is to be determined by a majority of the members then present. While the Speaker is responsible for the officers and clerks of the House, their hours of...
The Speaker denied a member's complaint about long committee sittings, ruling that committees control their own schedules and the proper remedy is to amend the Standing Orders.