Privilege / Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous; disclosure of information prior to announcement in the House

Journals pp. 869-73

Debates pp. 7298-300

Background

On March 28, soon after the House began its sitting, Mr. Woolliams (Calgary North) rose on a question of privilege. He charged that announcements of the site for the Montreal International Airport, taped and aired on radio before being made in the House, divulged Cabinet secrets and constituted a breach of the privileges of the House. Mr. Woolliams proposed to move that the issue be referred to the Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections. At the Speaker's suggestion, the matter was deferred until the Ministers in question were present in the House. On March 31, after discussion among Members in the House, the Speaker ruled.

Issue

Do allegations of ministerial impropriety in this case constitute a prima facie breach of privilege?

Decision

There is no breach of privilege.

Reasons given by the Speaker

''Allegations of misjudgment, or mismanagement, or maladministration on the part of a Minister in the performance of his ministerial duties [do] not come within the purview of parliamentary privilege." No authority can be found in British or Canadian precedents for the proposition that considerations of alleged improprieties on the part of Cabinet Ministers in the performance of their ministerial duties can be raised on a question of privilege. Members who wish to propose that this matter be considered further may do so by substantive motion or by a motion of no confidence in the Government.

Sources cited

Journals, June 19, 1959, pp. 582-6.

Debates, May 22, 1924, pp. 2401-10.

Hansard (U.K.), May 5, 1936, cols. 1552-4; June 11, 1936, cols. 416-20; November 13, 1947, col. 552; November 17, 1947, col. 822; November 20, 1947, col. 1467.

May, 17th ed., p. 42.

References

Journals, March 31, 1969, pp. 869-73.

Debates, March 28, 1969, pp. 7246-9; March 31, 1969, pp. 7289-300.