Mark Gerretsen

Mr. Speaker, Procedure · 34 wordsI am rising to respond to the point of order raised by my colleague, respecting the effect of the programming motion related to Bill C‑22 in the context of our collective and individual privileges.Procedure Reasoning · 28 wordsI submit that the matter is a question of whether the House has the ability to regulate its proceedings that appear to restrict the privileges of the House. Claims · 199 wordsI can state categorically that the House does have the powers to limit and, in some cases, waive its privileges. Page 65 of the fourth edition of House of Commons Procedure and Practice states: As a collectivity, the House of Commons has privileges that enable its members to fulfill their constitutional duties....² The two most dominant rights or powers are the right of the House to regulate its own internal affairs and the power to discipline.³ The programming motion that would govern the consideration of Bill C‑22 seeks to achieve to set a procedural process for the disposal of the bill.¹ The House is no stranger to innovative and constructive ways to dispose of business before the House and in committees. During the pandemic, the House adopted motions that would have normally been seen as a restriction on the privileges of members and the House more generally.⁴ Indeed, the exclusive power of the House to regulate internal affairs is the cornerstone of the architecture of parliamentary privilege. The ability to regulate and control its own debates, agenda and proceedings relating to the legislative and deliberative functions is one of the most important privileges that the Constitution bestows upon Parliament. Reasoning · 16 wordsI submit that the exercise of these powers is central to the matter before the House. Claims · 32 wordsThe House can give direction to committees, which are creatures of the House.⁵ The House can decide, by a majority of the voices, to structure the legislative process for any given bill. Reasoning · 34 wordsThis is precisely the case with the proposal before the House. Therefore, I conclude that the matter is clearly within the House’s powers to regulate its internal affairs in respect of the legislative agenda.