Privilege / Impeding a Member

Impeding a Member

Journals pp. 307-9

Debates pp. 3385-6

Background

On February 14, Mr. Watson (Laprairie) rose on a question of privilege and charged that during a Canada Labour Relations Board hearing, which he had attended to give moral support to an Air Canada employee, a lawyer retained by the airline attempted to hinder him in the performance of his duties by asking the board to rule that Members of Parliament are forbidden to intervene in employer-employee disputes that are before the Board.

Issue

Does asking that a Member refrain from intervening in a matter before a federal tribunal prevent him from exercising his rights as a Member of Parliament?

Decision

There is no breach of parliamentary privilege in such a case.

Reasons given by the Speaker

The strict and narrow definition of parliamentary privilege does not apply to a voluntary intervention by a Member in any external conflict, but is limited to the duties he must discharge as a Member of the House.

Precedent cited

Debates, April 29, 1971, pp. 5337-8.

References

Debates, February 14, 1975, pp. 3218-9.