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July 13, 1981
Where a bill, as introduced, does not contain a preamble, it is not competent for a committee to introduce one. The same rules apply at report stage. As for the headings of the various parts of a...
This ruling establishes that committees cannot add a preamble to a bill if one was not present at introduction, nor can they amend bill headings.
June 18, 1981
On the one hand, according to a well-recognized practice of the House, a Minister, following an order for the production of papers, may rise and declare that he opposes such production because he...
This ruling affirms the government's right to refuse an order for the production of papers by deeming them confidential and prejudicial to the public interest.
May 26, 1981
A motion in amendment which seeks to introduce a question foreign to the proposition contained in the main motion cannot be moved. Moreover, the Speaker is prohibited from allowing a motion in...
A ruling stating that amendments must be relevant to the main motion and cannot alter the scope of a Royal Recommendation.
April 7, 1981
Amendments to the Content of Bills / Report Stage April 7, 1981 Journals p. 1671 Debates p. 9052 Background During report stage consideration of Bill C-42, An Act to establish the Canada Post...
This is not a ruling but a description of the constitutional principle that reserves the right to initiate financial legislation to the Crown (the government).
February 25, 1981
There is no question of privilege because Members' duties do not expressly require them to attend press lock-ups. Furthermore, if the denial of entry put the Member at a disadvantage, it is a...
The Speaker ruled that being denied entry to a press lock-up is not a breach of privilege as it is not an express duty of a Member.
January 19, 1981
Prior to 1975, it was the practice to include a borrowing authority in the supply bill. Subsequently, borrowing authority has been granted by means of separate legislation. As specific notice for...
A ruling that borrowing authority provisions were struck from a supply bill because they lacked the required separate notice, contrary to modern practice.
November 6, 1980
Although it is legitimate for Members in this House to insist that Ministers answer their questions, Ministers are not bound to do so. "Minister may decline to answer a question without stating...
This ruling confirms the established principle that Ministers cannot be compelled to answer questions in the House.
October 29, 1980
To amount to contempt, statements relating to proceedings of the House or the participation of Members should not only be erroneous, but rather they should be deliberately incorrect and improper...
A ruling clarifying that for a statement about House proceedings to be considered contempt, it must be deliberately false and deceitful, not just incorrect.
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.
October 10, 1980
In recent practices in the House of Commons, this expression has been allowed provided it was not qualified by the words "intentionally" or "deliberately".
A 1980 ruling permits the phrase 'misleading the House' but prohibits adding qualifiers like 'intentionally' that impute motive.