Search thousands of Speaker's rulings with AI-powered precision.
March 10, 1972
Any accusation made against a senior public official is a breach of order. [In this case, the official is the Auditor General who, in failing to submit his annual report to the House as stipulated...
The Speaker denied a question of privilege, ruling that accusations against the Auditor General are matters of order or administration to be addressed by a substantive motion.
April 29, 1971
"... parliamentary privilege does not go much beyond the right of free speech in the House of Commons and the right of a Member to discharge his duties in the House as a Member of the House of...
A Speaker's ruling clarifies that access to penitentiaries is a statutory right, not a matter of parliamentary privilege.
February 3, 1971
While a supposed contempt of Parliament may be an element of a breach of privilege, it is not by itself a question of privilege. The complaint raised by the Member may be classified as (i) wilful...
The Speaker rules that a complaint of being misled or contempt is not a prima facie question of privilege and must be pursued through other procedural avenues.
January 26, 1971
The Government has followed a practice that has been accepted rightly or wrongly, in the past. The bill will be allowed to proceed despite the possible difficulties presented by omnibus...
The Speaker denied a point of order against an omnibus bill, ruling it procedurally acceptable despite legitimate grievances.
December 10, 1969
The only precedent discovered that is relevant to this case is useful in some respects, but is ultimately unsatisfactory because on that occasion no motion was raised and, consequently, the...
The Speaker denied a question of privilege against the Minister of Finance, ruling the matter was an administrative grievance, not an obstruction of a Member's duties.
June 2, 1969
This application is in the form of a series of grievances which are of a continuing nature and which cannot be understood to be a sudden emergency. "... according to the rules and precedents, even...
The Speaker denied an emergency debate request, citing the issue's ongoing nature and the availability of other debate opportunities like the Budget and supply days.
March 27, 1969
''At first blush", the matter was viewed as a question of the Member's rights as a former civil servant. This would tend to make the question one of a grievance against the Government. On the...
The Speaker weighs whether a Member's issue as a former civil servant constitutes a personal grievance or a question of privilege requiring the House's protection.
November 28, 1967
"If there really was a question of privilege it should be followed by a motion", but none was moved. In addition, "a question of privilege must be raised at the first opportunity. That does not...
A question of privilege was denied for not being raised at the first opportunity and for lacking a required motion.
October 25, 1967
The Member's complaint is a grievance and not a question of privilege. The remarks of the Bank chairman "relate more particularly to the Government than to the personal conduct of Members in the...
The Speaker denied a question of privilege, ruling that a complaint about a Bank chairman's remarks was a political grievance against the government, not an impediment to Members' duties.
April 28, 1966
The Speaker cannot compel the Commissions to answer the questions raised in the House regarding the conduct of their responsibilities. "A Minister may decline to answer a question without stating...
The Speaker affirms that Ministers cannot be compelled to answer questions in the House and suggests alternative procedures like a motion for the production of papers.