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October 28, 1983
According to Beauchesne, a Minister cannot read or quote from a dispatch or other state paper that is not before the House unless he is prepared to lay it upon the Table. However, if the public...
The Speaker clarifies the rule that Ministers must table any state papers they quote from unless they declare it is not in the public interest.
October 27, 1983
According to one authority, it is usual to give priority to members of the Government who wish to speak. Moreover, the parliamentary spirit allows that courtesies are afforded to certain Members...
The Speaker affirms their absolute discretion to select which Member speaks, balancing customary priority for Ministers with the equal rights of all Members.
October 19, 1983
Ministers have never been forbidden to give notice on a point of order. The only restriction imposed on a Minister in such a case is that he or she must speak from his or her place at a previous sitting.
The Speaker clarifies that Ministers can give notice on a point of order if they have previously spoken from their seat.
April 26, 1983
Various precedents indicate that charges of this kind cannot be made by way of a question of privilege, but only on a substantive motion making clear and specific accusations. While there may have...
Speaker rules that serious accusations must be made via a substantive motion, not a question of privilege, and finds no procedural error in the tabling of budget documents.
April 19, 1983
According to the practice whereby the Minister of Finance presents his budget in the House before declaring it in any other public forum, budget secrecy is a political convention which does not...
This ruling establishes that budget secrecy is a political convention, not a matter of privilege, and any accusation of its breach requires a substantive motion.
February 28, 1983
As difficult as the Chair finds it not to allow a Member to respond to an accusation, a question addressed to a Minister must deal with a matter that falls within his current responsibilities, and...
The Speaker ruled that questions to ministers must concern their current portfolio responsibilities, not those from a previous one.
February 16, 1983
The Standing Orders stipulate that a Minister may table in the House any report or other paper dealing with a matter falling within his administrative responsibilities. According to Beauchesne,...
The Speaker clarifies that Ministers are permitted by the Standing Orders and Beauchesne to voluntarily table documents related to their administrative duties.
February 8, 1982
The provision in our Standing Orders that deals with statements by Ministers is permissive, not mandatory. It says very clearly that a Minister may make a statement on a matter of policy or any...
The Speaker ruled that Standing Orders are permissive, not mandatory, regarding ministerial statements, and thus cannot compel a minister to make an announcement in the House.
March 5, 1981
The Member "is not satisfied with the answers given to him by the Ministers, but the Chair is not in a position to insist on any other answers or to comment on the quality or substance of such...
The Speaker rules that the Chair cannot compel a Minister to change their answer or comment on its quality during Oral Questions.
March 4, 1981
If it is true to say that a Member elected to a constituency also represents the whole country, then one cannot deny that each member of the Cabinet represents all of Canada. Moreover, the...
The Speaker rules that the assignment of ministerial responsibilities for a region is a potential political grievance, not a breach of privilege.