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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.
January 21, 1970
Despite the reservations as to whether or not this case involves a question of privilege, the Member's remarks were not followed by a motion, and thus no further action can be taken. The Standing...
The Speaker ruled that no action could be taken on a member's concern because it was not followed by a motion, clarifying the rules for tabling documents.
February 3, 1969
''According to the Standing Orders, a question put during the daily Oral Questions may be answered either by an oral answer, by an order for return or by a ministerial statement on motions." The...
The Speaker ruled that tabling a document is not a valid new procedure for answering an Oral Question, but a minister may table a document under the separate rule for government papers.
January 23, 1969
"... the mere fact [that] a public document has been mentioned does not require... that it be tabled." Only when it is quoted from or cited, rather than merely referred to, must it be tabled.
This ruling clarifies that a public document must be tabled only when quoted or cited, not when merely mentioned during proceedings.