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March 25, 1981
There is no doubt that the eight one-dollar items which cancel debts are pure legislative items and seek in each case to amend section 18(1) of the Financial Administration Act. Whether or not...
The Speaker ruled that using one-dollar supply items to amend legislation, such as the Financial Administration Act, is procedurally out of order.
March 5, 1981
"Matters of this nature, having been referred either to the courts or to an administrative body, are not proper subjects for debate in this House under the terms of Standing Order 26". Moreover,...
The Speaker denied a request for an emergency debate, citing the matter being before an administrative body and the availability of other debate opportunities.
March 4, 1981
The Chair does not have the duty to uphold the principle of cabinet secrecy, nor does it sit in judgment upon the manner in which Ministers fulfil their responsibilities, including the prevention...
The Speaker ruled that a leak of government estimates is a matter of ministerial responsibility, not a breach of parliamentary privilege for the Chair to adjudicate.
February 20, 1979
Content of Bills / Infringing on Financial Initiative of the Crown February 20, 1979 Journals pp. 393-5 Debates pp. 3423-5 Background The Chair, having authorized presentation of a number of bills...
The Speaker ruled a private Member's bill out of order for violating the financial initiative of the Crown by proposing a new public expenditure without a royal recommendation.
December 7, 1977
The first item sought to exceed and extend the sum of money to be paid to a particular Crown corporation according to the provisions of a statute. The second item sought an exception from a...
A Speaker's ruling found that items in the Estimates were out of order because they attempted to amend existing legislation, which requires a separate bill.
March 22, 1977
A supply item ought not to be used to obtain authority which is the proper subject of legislation. There is need for a more appropriate procedure to consider this matter; one which will permit an...
The Chair ruled that supply items cannot be used for matters requiring legislation, but allowed the specific items in question to stand without setting a precedent.
June 22, 1976
The legislative authority which allows the government to establish a corporation such as Loto Canada already exists and is separate from the item in the estimates. Consequently, the government is...
The Speaker ruled that using the estimates to fund a corporation is procedurally acceptable if the legislative authority already exists, even if a bill is preferable for matters of principle.
March 24, 1976
A notice of objection to an item in the estimates is not a motion; it only notifies the House that a Member insists on a separate vote on that particular item. The only way to deal with the matter...
The ruling clarifies that a notice of objection to the estimates is not a motion but a trigger for a separate vote.
December 9, 1975
Since a supply bill is concurred in without debate and without amendment, the strictest interpretation of the rules has to be applied to all clauses of the bill, that is to say, that all clauses...
The Speaker ruled that borrowing authority clauses are not permitted in supply bills based on supplementary estimates, as all clauses must strictly relate to the estimates being approved.
March 26, 1974
"Parliament cannot legislate by Estimates", but this particular vote in the Estimates does not seek to amend an act or "to establish a legislative principle". It is difficult to see how this is...
A ruling confirms an item in the Estimates is procedurally valid as it does not improperly attempt to legislate by amending an act or establishing a legislative principle.