The Daily Program / Oral Questions

Question found out of order; matter questioned was under advisement by the Speaker

May 22, 1987

Debates, pp. 6337-8

On May 22, 1987, during Oral Question Period, Mr. Ian Waddell (Vancouver—Kingsway) directed a question to the Hon. Don Mazankowski (Deputy Prime Minister and President of the Privy Council) about an alleged conflict of interest involving the Hon. Harvie Andre (Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs ).^[1] The Speaker interrupted Mr. Waddell to remind him that the previous day he had allowed the Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs to raise a question of privilege and that this matter was still under advisement.^[2] The Speaker’s ruling is reproduced in full below.

Decision of the Chair

The Speaker: The Chair is in a difficult position, and I know that the honourable Member for Vancouver—Kingsway understands that, as does the honourable Member for Cape Breton—The Sydneys (Mr. Russell MacLellan). Also I want honourable Members to understand clearly the difficulty the Chair is in, and I want the public to understand it, because this is a place where vigorous free speech must be defended.

My difficulty is that yesterday, on a matter raised by the honourable Member for Vancouver—Kingsway, questions which the Chair allowed, a question of privilege has been raised by the honourable Minister. There was an extensive discussion with respect to whether or not the question asked of the Minister yesterday was appropriate or had indeed infringed against the privileges of the Minister, and some Members went on to suggest that it had gone further than that.

I have not brought down a ruling on that matter yet, as the honourable Member for Vancouver—Kingsway knows, and I regret that I have not been able to do so by this morning. However, I assure the honourable Member that it is not because of any intention to delay.

An honourable Member was in somewhat the same position some weeks ago on another matter where a question of privilege was raised and then the next day questions were again asked on the same point. At that time, I said that I felt it was not appropriate to continue with those questions at that time until the ruling had come down.

Given the circumstances and given that fact, I want to assure the honourable Member for Vancouver—Kingsway and other honourable Members who are interested in this issue that I will strive mightily to have a ruling first thing on Tuesday morning (Editor’s Note: the ruling was made on May 26, 1987). In the meantime, I would ask the cooperation of honourable Members in respecting the position of the Chair, and to respect the fact that the very propriety of these questions is the subject matter of the dispute which I heard yesterday and on which I must decide.

I am not in any way indicating how I will rule on Tuesday morning, but I would ask that honourable Members understand the position that we are in in this Chamber.

F0316-e

33-2

1987-05-22