Rules of Debate / Tabling of Documents

Newspaper articles giving rise to a question of privilege

Debates pp. 24120-1

Background

On March 23, Mr. Lewis (Simcoe North) rose on a point of order following a decision by the House to refer to the Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections the consideration of the question of privilege raised on March 16 by Mr. Mackasey (Lincoln) on the matter of accusations made against him by the Montreal Gazette alleging that he [Mr. Mackasey] was a paid lobbyist. Mr. Lewis maintained that the newspaper articles pertaining to the complaint should be read into the record and tabled because, in his opinion, as long as they are not tabled, the House is not officially seized of them. After hearing Members' comments, the Speaker took the matter under consideration and ruled the next day.

Issue

Should newspaper articles that gave rise to a question of privilege be read and tabled in the House?

Decision

No. In such situations, the Chair possesses discretionary power and the information available to the Chair was sufficient.

Reasons given by the Speaker

The aim in reading these documents is to give sufficient information to the Chair and to the House upon which to make a decision. If the information transmitted during interventions is sufficient, the documents in question need not be read. Moreover, it is not the articles quoted which are referred to the Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections, but the entire matter, that is, the specific question of privilege. Furthermore, the issue of the tabling of the articles should have been raised before the House reached a decision.

Sources cited

Debates, July 24, 1975, pp. 7886-9; July 25, 1975, pp. 7937-41.

Beauchesne, 5th ed., p. 25, c. 83; p. 79, c. 237; p. 117, c. 332.

May, 19th ed., p. 164.

References

Debates, March 23, 1983, pp. 24071-2.