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Core 1..190 Hansard (PRISM::Advent3b2 10.50) CANADA House of Commons Debates VOLUME 145 Ï NUMBER 149 Ï 3rd SESSION Ï 40th PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Friday, March 25, 2011 Speaker: The Honourable Peter Milliken CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) 9245 HOUSE OF COMMONS Friday, March 25, 2011 The House met at 10 a.m. [English] Prayers In the case before us, the Chair is being asked to determine whether the unauthorized presence in the minister's office of the member for Churchill, a delegation of the Sayisi Dene and the media Ï (1000) was tantamount to intimidation or obstruction of the minister's staff. [English] To assist me, I reviewed the report on this matter prepared by House of Commons security, who attended the scene after being called PRIVILEGE upon for assistance by the minister's staff. It is clear to the Chair SIT-IN AT HILL OFFICE OF INDIAN AFFAIRS MINISTER—SPEAKER'S RULING from the submissions, as well as the security report, that those occupying the minister's office were uninvited and did not have The Speaker: Order, please. I am now prepared to rule on the proper authorization to be there. As well, the Chair believes that the question of privilege raised on March 10, 2011, by the Minister of minister's staff was indeed uncomfortable, though they appeared to Indian Affairs and Northern Development concerning an alleged sit- have handled the situation with aplomb and good grace. in at his Parliament Hill office. I wish to thank the minister for having raised this matter and the members for Churchill and Yukon for their comments. I am troubled that the member for Churchill, without prior In raising this question of privilege, the Minister of Indian Affairs warning, took it upon herself to lead a group to another member's and Northern Development explained that on Wednesday, March 9, office. That media representatives were part of this group makes the 2011, the member for Churchill arrived at his office, uninvited and situation that much more unfortunate. No matter how well accompanied by a group of the Sayisi Dene and media representa- intentioned the member for Churchill was, or how amicable the tives, pressing his staff for an immediate meeting despite his outcome of this particular incident, it was an unauthorized presence absence. In his view, this constituted a protest and a sit-in. in a minister's office that left ministerial staff uncomfortable enough Characterizing the incident as a serious breach of trust and a serious to warrant the assistance of security. It is a credit to the minister's matter from a security standpoint, the minister expressed concern staff, and it must be said to the unexpected visitors as well, that this that his employees were made uncomfortable and prevented from incident did not escalate further and that the tone of the exchange doing their work. was respectful. The member for Churchill countered that the visit was simply an attempt to obtain a meeting with the minister and not an orchestrated event with the intention of obstructing the work of the minister's It is well understood that members need access to ministers to office. fulfill their parliamentary functions but it is equally true that there are [Translation] various well-known, entirely acceptable avenues available to secure such access. Members are expected to avail themselves of these As all hon. members will recall, House of Commons Procedure mutually agreed upon opportunities rather than resorting to other and Practice, Second Edition, at page 108 states: unorthodox means that may place colleagues in untenable situations. Because of the actions of the member for Churchill, for almost an Speakers have consistently upheld the right of the House to the services of its hour, her guests occupied the office of the minister without a members free from intimidation, obstruction and interference. previously arranged appointment. This is a clear abuse of the usual It also notes, on the same page, that: practices that all members are expected to follow. The Chair is disappointed that the member for Churchill showed a complete Over the years, members have regularly brought to the attention of the House disregard for the common courtesies that are to be observed between instances which they believed were attempts to obstruct, impede, interfere, intimidate or molest them, their staffs or individuals who had some business with them or the members. In this case, the situation was well managed, but we may House. not always be so lucky. 9246 COMMONS DEBATES March 25, 2011 Business of Supply Ï (1005) That the House agree with the finding of the Standing Committee on Procedure and [Translation] House Affairs that the government is in contempt of Parliament, which is unprecedented in Canadian parliamentary history, and consequently, the House has It does not require a great deal of imagination to foresee the kind lost confidence in the government. of circus atmosphere that could result if all members took it upon The Speaker: Since today is the final allotted day for the supply themselves to escort constituents, delegations or other citizens— period ending March 26, 2011, the House will go through the usual however worthy their cause or objective—to whichever other procedures to consider and dispose of the supply bill. member's office they chose. In view of recent practices, do hon. members agree that the bill be [English] distributed now? That being said, in this particular case, in large part due to the Some hon. members: Agreed. calm, measured approach taken by the minister's staff in handling the situation, there is little evidence to suggest that the staff of the [Translation] minister were obstructed in the fulfillment of their duties. The Hon. Michael Ignatieff: Mr. Speaker, before we start this debate, minister himself was careful not to overstate the impact of the I have a few words for you. You are at the end of your term as incident on his staff. In view of the very high threshold required in Speaker of the House, and I would like to express how much adjudicating such situations, in this circumstance the Chair cannot fondness and respect we all have for you. Your rulings have left their find that a prima facie question of privilege has arisen in this matter. mark on our country's history. [Translation] Ï (1010) The Chair expects that all members will heed the lesson of this [English] incident in an effort to maintain the integrity of the precinct as a work environment where all members feel secure and respected. Mr. Speaker, you have taught us all, sometimes with a modest rebuke, sometimes with the sharp sting of focused argument, to I ask for the active collaboration of all members in this and I thank understand, to respect and to cherish the rules of Canadian all members for their attention. democracy, and for that your citizens will always hold you in highest honour. This is a historic day in the life of Canadian democracy, the ROYAL ASSENT democracy that you, Mr. Speaker, have served so well. I have to inform the House that the official opposition has lost confidence in [English] the government. The Speaker: Order, please. I have the honour to inform the [Translation] House that a communication has been received as follows: Rideau Hall The government no longer has the confidence of the official Ottawa opposition. March 25, 2011 [English] Mr. Speaker: I have the honour to inform you that the Right Honourable David Johnston, Our motion asks the House to agree with the finding in the 27th Governor General of Canada, signified royal assent by written declaration to the bills report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs listed in the Schedule to this letter on the 25th day of March, 2011 at 7:55 a.m. presented on March 21. This was a historic finding. It was the first Yours sincerely, time that a parliamentary committee has found the government in Stephen Wallace, contempt. The Secretary to the Governor General and Herald Chancellor. Today, with this motion, we ask the House to do the same, to find The schedule indicates the bills assented to were Bill C-442, An the government in contempt and to withdraw the confidence of the Act to establish a National Holocaust Monument—Chapter 13; and House. Bill C-475, An Act to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances [Translation] Act (methamphetamine and ecstasy)—Chapter 14. With this motion, we are calling on members of Parliament to condemn the government for its contempt of Parliament and to withdraw the confidence of the House. This is a historic day in the GOVERNMENT ORDERS life of Canadian democracy, but it is also an opportunity for us to [English] confirm our commitment to parliamentary democracy and its fundamental principles. BUSINESS OF SUPPLY What principles are we talking about? That the government has OPPOSITION MOTION—CONFIDENCE IN THE GOVERNMENT the obligation to provide members of this House with the Hon. Michael Ignatieff (Leader of the Opposition, Lib.) information they need in order to hold the government accountable moved: to the people of Canada. March 25, 2011 COMMONS DEBATES 9247 Business of Supply [English] [English] The principle at stake in this debate goes to the heart of To those who say an election is unnecessary, we reply that we did parliamentary democracy: the obligation of a government to provide not seek an election, but if we need one to replace a government that members of this House with the information they need in order to does not respect democracy with one that does, I cannot think of a hold the government accountable to the people of Canada.
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