Selected Decisions of Speaker Lucien Lamoureux 1966 – 1974
Questions / Written Questions
Unsatisfactory answer
Debates p. 5515
Background
When the House met on May 4, Mr. MacDonald (Egmont) rose on a question of privilege to complain about the response provided the day before by Mr. Goyer (Solicitor General) to a written question he had submitted to him on March 25. The question concerned the budgets allotted to the security and intelligence division of the RCMP. An answer was refused on the grounds that "it would not be in the public interest to divulge" any information on the matter. Mr. MacDonald claimed that this kind of answer constituted "a basic contravention and denial of the rights of Members of Parliament". Members, he argued, had a right to an answer to a specific question regarding the disposition of public funds. The Speaker deferred his decision until he had had the opportunity of looking into the matter.
Issue
Does the refusal of a Minister to supply specific information requested by a Member constitute a breach of his or her parliamentary privilege?
Decision
No. This is not a prima facie case of privilege.
Reasons given by the Speaker
While it is correct as a general principle that a Member should not be impeded in the discharge of his or her parliamentary duties, this does not in itself create an obligation on the part of the Government to supply any and all information sought by a Member, by way of either a written or oral question.
Sources cited
Beauchesne, 4tb ed., p. 102, c. 113; pp. 153-4, c. 181(3).
Bourinot, 4th ed., p. 314.
May, 17th ed., p. 351.