Ruling
June 18, 1981
Order for the productions of papers; refusal by a Minister to comply
Hon. Jeanne Sauvé
Speaker of the House
Ruling Text
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 deems the said documents confidential, and that to divulge them could be prejudicial to the public interest. Such a reservation has been made in this case by the Parliamentary Secretary and the House has accepted it in the usual way. On the other hand, it is up to the Government to decide whether such papers, letters and studies are of a confidential nature.
Edit Metadata
Holding
"The government has the authority to refuse an order for the production of papers by declaring them confidential and prejudicial to the public interest, and the House typically accepts this declaration."
AI Summary
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.
AI Analysis
- Outcome
- Other
- Tone
- Educational
- Procedural Stage
- Routine Proceedings
- Significance
Low
High