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October 12, 1983
Members who participate in a public debate outside the House enjoy no special protection. Privilege can only be claimed in relation to a parliamentary proceeding. Privilege is not designed to...
A Speaker's ruling clarifies that parliamentary privilege does not protect Members from criticism arising from activities outside of official parliamentary proceedings.
March 31, 1981
Only the House can decide whether to discontinue or not to initiate a debate. Whatever the practice followed, the sub judice convention does not apply when studying bills, that is while the House...
The Speaker ruled that the sub judice convention does not prevent the House from debating legislative matters, including constitutional resolutions, even if the subject is before the courts.
November 6, 1980
The original resolution of the House respecting the introduction of television states that the House approves the radio and television broadcasting of its proceedings and of the proceedings of its...
The Speaker ruled that parliamentary committees cannot broadcast their proceedings without first receiving explicit authorization from the House of Commons.
October 29, 1980
Certain interventions touching upon Members' privileges of freedom of speech and liable to influence Members in the exercise of their duties, such as editorials and other public comment, do not...
The Speaker ruled that a government advertising campaign did not constitute a breach of privilege as pressure from an outside body is not, in itself, interference with parliamentary proceedings.
May 15, 1978
While the civil suit has caused the Member certain difficulties, it cannot be said to constitute obstruction or harassment in the narrow sense in which one must construe the privilege of freedom...
The Speaker ruled that a civil suit and radio show appearance do not breach parliamentary privilege as they are not extensions of proceedings in Parliament.
December 5, 1977
On close technical grounds the motion can be ruled unacceptable because it is too general to qualify as a question of privilege. Members did not consider carefully enough that the judge's comments...
The Speaker denies a question of privilege concerning a judge's comments, ruling the motion too general and the comments outside the scope of parliamentary privilege.
September 21, 1971
The most recent precedent for the unusual and unused impeachment proceedings existing in the British Parliament dates from 1805, when a judgment in an impeachment case was rendered by the House of...
The Speaker rules that the British procedure of impeachment is not applicable in Canada due to the Senate's lack of judicial power and the procedure's obsolescence.
February 11, 1970
As it now stands, any Minister or Parliamentary Secretary to any Minister may answer questions posed during the adjournment proceedings to any Minister. In addition, a Minister may decline to...
The Speaker denied a request for discussion on an unsatisfactory answer during Adjournment Proceedings, citing that Ministers are permitted to decline to answer.