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March 22, 1983
Not only do defamatory allegations about Members place the entire institution of Parliament under a cloud, they also prevent Members from performing their duties as long as the matter remains...
A Speaker's ruling confirms that defamatory allegations against a Member can be referred to a committee despite the sub judice convention to protect the Member's ability to function.
February 28, 1983
For there to be a prima facie case of privilege, sufficient evidence must be presented to warrant the matter proceeding to investigation. Furthermore, it is not for the Chair to determine whether...
The Speaker clarifies that the Chair does not rule on the accuracy of tabled documents and that reflections on Members require a substantive motion.
June 16, 1982
Rules of Debate / Unparliamentary Language June 16, 1982 Debates pp. 18527-8 Background During the introduction of an opposition motion dealing with supply, Mr. Chretien (Minister of Justice)...
This entry pertains to the procedural concept of personal attacks and the associated right of reply, but is not a specific ruling.
May 31, 1982
According to one authority, expressions which are unparliamentary when applied to individual Members are not always so considered when applied to a whole party. Moreover, since the Standing Orders...
This ruling clarifies that unparliamentary language is a matter to be raised on a point of order, not as a question of privilege.
May 27, 1982
The question was raised at the earliest opportunity, but the Minister denies having deliberately misled the House. As it is customary to accept a Member's statement, the matter cannot be dealt...
The Speaker denied a question of privilege concerning a Minister allegedly misleading the House, as the Minister's denial of intent must be accepted.
November 4, 1981
There can be no doubt, as numerous precedents indicate, that questions to chairmen of committees are in order when such questions relate to procedural matters, for example, the time and place of...
The Speaker denied a point of order, ruling that a minister may answer a question addressed to a committee chair if it touches on general House business.
February 2, 1981
According to one authority, references to debates in the other House are out of order for the simple reason that the debates of one of the two Houses remain hypothetically unknown to the other....
The Speaker affirms the rule that members cannot refer to debates in the Senate, as each legislative body manages its own proceedings independently.
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 17, 1980
It cannot be said that the Government's spending impedes the House or the Members in the fulfillment of their duties. The fact that certain Members feel that they are disadvantaged by not having...
The Speaker denied a question of privilege, ruling that government advertising spending does not impede the work of Members or the House.
July 15, 1980
The documents submitted by the Member do not clearly indicate inaccuracies. Furthermore, even if they were shown to be incorrect, falsified or altered, which they have not, there is no indication...
The Speaker denied a question of privilege, finding no evidence of intent to deceive the House and ruling the matter did not pertain to parliamentary duties.