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June 23, 1977
The premature publication of this document interferes with the work of the Members in their committee because it "prejudices the secure identity of witnesses and people who co-operated with the...
The Speaker rules that the systemic issue of premature publication of committee documents should be studied by a special committee rather than being treated as an absolute question of privilege in every instance.
June 23, 1977
In these situations, the practice of resorting to a question of privilege has become customary. It permits a Member to make what is essentially a personal statement under the umbrella of privilege...
The Speaker rules that personal attacks do not meet the threshold for a question of privilege unless they obstruct a Member's parliamentary duties.
June 23, 1977
Under the umbrella of privilege, a Member has raised a matter of grievance and expressed a personal statement. This is a practice which is allowed under certain circumstances even though it does...
The Speaker ruled that a Minister acting through a solicitor to address critical material does not constitute a breach of privilege but is a matter for debate.
November 23, 1976
It is clear that parliamentary privilege does not extend, and never has extended, to compelling a Minister or a Prime Minister to make a statement in the House under any circumstances, regardless...
The Speaker ruled that parliamentary privilege does not grant the House the power to compel a Minister or Prime Minister to make a statement.
May 7, 1976
The issue is clearly a question of privilege.
The Speaker identifies the matter of making reflections on a Member as a clear question of privilege.
April 9, 1976
It must be understood that questions of privilege are not confined to incidents which take place in the House; they can arise from elsewhere as well, including committees. This specific case,...
The Speaker denied a question of privilege, clarifying that committee disagreements are points of order and press criticism does not breach privilege.
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.
June 18, 1975
Nothing that anyone says about the conduct or performance, the speech or contribution of any Member could in general terms be taken as interference with his right to speak or to operate as a...
The Speaker ruled that external criticism and commentary on a Member's performance do not constitute a breach of privilege or interference with their parliamentary duties.
June 4, 1975
The strict definition of parliamentary privilege should not be expanded to include controversies as to facts, opinions or conclusions. These are matters for debate; they are not questions of...
This ruling establishes that disagreements over facts are matters for debate, not privilege, and that a specific charge is required to raise a question of privilege against a Member.