Routine Proceedings / Petitions

January 20, 1986

Debates p. 9946

On December 20, 1985, Mr. Prud'homme (Saint-Denis) rose on a point of order because his request to the Table for a complete photocopy of a petition presented the previous day had been refused. He argued that since the petition had been made public by being tabled, a Member of Parliament was entitled to receive, upon request, a copy of the document containing not only the text of the petition but also the signatures appended to it. The Speaker reserved his decision.

Issue

Is a Member of Parliament entitled to receive a complete copy of a petition presented in the House of Commons?

Decision

Yes. Copies of petitions, in their entirety, should be made available to Members of Parliament who request them.

Reasons given by the Speaker

The practice has been that petitions may be consulted upon request, but there has been hesitation to provide copies of the signatures on petitions. The fact remains that petitions are public documents. Petitioners are aware of this fact, and are not required to give their addresses. While the Chair would be reluctant to order that petitions be photocopied at the request of the public at large, it seems quite logical that if a Member may present a petition in the House, the same Member or another Member may also obtain a copy of the petition. Members are responsible for what they do with these copies.