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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.
November 16, 1982
In this particular case, a direct order by the House is not involved, but rather a resolution requesting that an Address be presented to His Excellency praying that the document in question be...
The Speaker ruled that the Chair cannot determine the scope of documents requested by a House order, as that interpretation is a matter for the government to decide.
April 16, 1974
The relevant Standing Order cannot be interpreted "as imposing an obligation on a Minister to table [such a] document".
The Speaker ruled that Standing Orders do not compel a Minister to table a document.
September 17, 1973
The purpose of the Standing Order under which this document has been tabled is to allow a government Member to table information relating to the administrative responsibilities of the Government...
The Speaker ruled that Ministers, not the Chair, are responsible for ensuring that documents they table comply with the Standing Orders.
May 28, 1973
When a Minister quotes from an official communication, be it personal or not, it becomes an official document and must be tabled.
The Speaker affirms the rule that any official communication quoted by a Minister must be tabled as an official document.
February 22, 1972
The rule governing tabling is clear. If a document is quoted in debate it has to be tabled. If a letter, even though it might have been written originally as a private document, becomes part of...
The Speaker rules that Ministers must table official documents, including formerly private letters that have become part of a departmental record, if they are quoted during debate.
November 16, 1971
The rule respecting tabling of documents has "to be interpreted rather strictly.... If a document has been actually cited or quoted in debate by a Minister of the Crown, it has to be tabled. If...
The Speaker clarifies that ministers must table documents they directly quote or cite in debate, but not those they merely reference.
April 19, 1971
The cause of the Chair's reservations is a previous ruling that "under our Standing Orders there is no authority for seeking from the Government the tabling and the submission of such documents......
The Speaker warns that allowing the government to table documents not explicitly covered by the Standing Orders creates a binding precedent for all Members.
April 6, 1971
The Standing Orders are explicit on this issue: only Ministers of the Crown or Parliamentary Secretaries acting on their behalf are permitted to table documents. A Minister of the Crown is not...
The Speaker clarifies that only Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries, not regular Members, are permitted to table documents in the House.
February 25, 1970
The return presented is obviously not in the conventional or traditional form. If a return is to be of any value to a Member it should be presented in a form that will convey to the Member the...
The Speaker ruled that tabling documents on microfilm is improper as returns must be presented in a form that is immediately interpretable without a mechanical device.