Privilege / Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous; committees; accuracy of report

Journals p. 513

Debates pp. 3740-1

Background

Mr. McGrath (St. John's East) rose on a question of privilege and charged that the second report of the Standing Committee on Transport and Communications, tabled in the House on December 3, was not an accurate record of what took place in the committee. According to Mr. McGrath, the report did not contain his resolution requesting a postponement of the Canadian Transport Commission's decision to abandon railway service in Newfoundland, which had been moved and adopted in committee on November 28. Mr. McGrath concluded by proposing that the second report of the committee be referred to the Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections "to determine the reason for the omission". Speaking in support of the motion, Mr. Nowlan (Annapolis Valley) pointed out that the matter was being raised at the first opportunity because the work of the transport committee had, in effect, expired upon passage of the estimates the previous evening.

Issue

Does the allegation of an omission from a committee report constitute a question of privilege?

Decision

Yes, in this case there is a question of privilege. [The motion was subsequently adopted by the House without debate.]

Reasons given by the Speaker

"... Members have indicated quite clearly ... that there is a prima facie case of privilege and that it is the type of question which might be sent to committee." There may be a difficulty in having the members of one committee looking into the affairs of another, "but that question is not really what we are seized with at the present time." The question has probably been raised at the first opportunity, in view of the fact that the House has finished its consideration of the committee report.

References

Journals, December 3, 1968, p. 415; February 13, 1969, pp. 695-6 (The Third Report of the Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections).

Debates, December 3, 1968, p. 3411; December 6, 1968, pp. 3587-8; December 10, 1968, pp. 3734-40.