Privilege / Reflections on a Member

Reflections on a Member

Journals pp. 495-6

Debates p. 4123

Background

On November 9, toward the end of Oral Questions, Mr. Thompson (Red Deer) asked the Prime Minister if action would be taken against Mr. Gregoire (Lapointe), implying that the latter had violated his oath of allegiance. In response, Mr. Gregoire raised first a point of order and then a question of privilege, maintaining that Mr. Thompson's remarks contained an accusation that he had broken an oath. The Chair left the matter in abeyance until the following day.

Issue

Do allegations against a Member, when raised indirectly, constitute a breach of privilege?

Decision

No. There is no question of privilege because no accusation has been brought against the Member. [The words spoken by Mr. Thompson were, however, ruled unparliamentary and the Speaker asked for their withdrawal.]

Reasons given by the Speaker

The question raised by Mr. Gregoire is a point of order rather than a question of privilege. The words used by Mr. Thompson were unparliamentary and should not have been used under the guise of a question to the Ministry to formulate a charge against another Member of this House. The proper procedure is that such matters be raised by way of a question of privilege followed by an appropriate motion containing the specific charge.

Sources cited

Journals, June 19, 1959, pp. 583-4.

References

Debates, November 9, 1967, pp. 4076-7.