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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 205

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
June 2, 2023 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 205 - Jun/2/23
Mr. Garnett Genuis (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, CPC)
  • Jun/2/23 10:28:07 a.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-47 
Madam Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to raise a question of privilege in relation to a number of issues respecting the process on Bill C-47 that I believe violate the privileges of members. I will identify at least three distinct situations, or areas, where the privilege of members of Parliament, in my view, was violated in the process of disposing of this bill. I will begin with just a few relevant references to contextualize this. The discussion of privilege in Bosc and Gagnon, at page 57, reads: It also refers to the powers possessed by the House to protect itself, its Members and its procedures from undue interference so that it can effectively carry out its principal functions which are to legislate, deliberate and hold the government to account. In that sense, parliamentary privilege can be viewed as the independence Parliament and its Members need to function unimpeded. At page 59, it states, “The House has the authority to assert privilege where its ability has been obstructed in the execution of its functions or where Members have been obstructed in the performance of their duties.” Page 60, meanwhile, elaborates on the concept of contempt, saying: Any conduct which offends the authority or dignity of the House, even though no breach of any specific privilege may have been committed, is referred to as a contempt of the House. Contempt may be an act or an omission. It does not have to actually obstruct or impede the House or a Member; it merely has to have the tendency to produce such results. Then, at page 81 of the third edition, House of Commons Procedure and Practice states, “There are...other affronts against—”
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