Privilege / Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous; committees; chairman's conduct

Journals pp. 709-10

Debates pp. 8383-4

Background

At the beginning of the sitting, Mr. McGrath (St. John's East) rose on a question of privilege to complain about the conduct of the chairman of the Standing Committee on Miscellaneous Estimates. According to Mr. McGrath, the chairman had prevented him from attempting on a point of order "to obtain agreement to have the committee sit beyond the agreed time of five o'clock as the committee was late in commencing its proceedings". He then characterized the conduct of the chairman as unsatisfactory and was prepared to move a motion referring the matter to the Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections. After allowing a brief reply from the chairman of the committee, Mr. Leblanc (Laurier), the Speaker made his ruling.

Issue

Can the conduct of committee chairmen be referred to the Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections as a question of privilege?

Decision

An issue of this kind "cannot be resolved in the House under the heading of privilege".

Reasons given by the Speaker

"It is well-established practice that committee proceedings cannot be brought into consideration or debate in the House except by way of a report from the committee." It is also well established that the conduct of another Member cannot be subjected to the scrutiny of the House by way of a question of privilege. Finally, there are doubts as to the advisability of having proceedings of one committee investigated by another committee of the House.

Sources cited

Standing Order 65(11).

Journals, June 19, 1959, pp. 582-6; January 12, 1971, pp. 251-2.

Debates, March 3, 1967, pp. 13697-704.

Beauchesne, 4th ed., pp. 240-1, c. 295(1).