Privilege / Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous; committees; attendance of witnesses

Debates pp. 2127-8

Background

Rising on a question of privilege, Mr. Burton (Regina East) complained about "the failure of the Minister of Regional Economic Expansion to make himself available at reasonable times to appear before the Standing Committee on Regional Development". He maintained that the situation made it "impossible for the members of the committee to carry out their responsibilities in examining spending estimates [of the department] before they are voted on by Parliament". Mr. Burton proposed to move that the question of ministerial appearances before standing committees during consideration of spending estimates be referred to the Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections. The Speaker ruled immediately.

Issue

Is the matter of calling Ministers to appear before committees a prima facie case of privilege?

Decision

This is not a prima facie case of privilege. The problem should be resolved by the committee.

Reasons given by the Speaker

"The question of ministerial appearances before committees of the House is as old as Confederation ... There is a long-established rule, and it is a tradition of the House, that matters before a committee are dealt with by that committee, and if any difficulty arises during the course of the proceedings of any hearings held by the committee, this should be indicated either in the committee's report or in the course of debate in the House on the report submitted." The Member has also raised another aspect of the matter by questioning "the conduct of the Minister in relation to the administration or application of his statutory obligations. Obviously this ought to be put before the House in the form of a specific charge." It cannot be done indirectly byway of a motion of the type proposed by the Member. Nothing is gained by having a dispute between certain members of the committee and the Minister brought to the House for consideration by way of a question of privilege.