SMIP Committee Report

ADDENDUM TO THE THIRD REPORT

Tabled by Loyola Hearn, MP (St. John’s West),

House Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party

Mr. Hearn wishes to draw the attention of the House to two items of concern.

 

Notices of Motion for the Production of Papers are a significant and powerful tool for the House of Commons to get information, and, when the government refuses to produce such documents, to compel their production by vote of the House.

 

This power was significantly diminished by previous modifications of the Standing Orders.  He believes it is further diminished in these provisional changes. Members should not be required to choose between a vote on a bill which will likely be of broad public interest and a motion for papers which could be of significant importance for proper scrutiny of the ministry, but which may not command an immediate public following.

 

These amendments to the Standing Orders are temporary.  The Committee has agreed to review the procedure for the production. He believes that all Members need to be cautious about changes, no matter how well intentioned, that could further limit their ability to access information and hold the government to account.

 

Second, He wishes to express reservations on the wisdom of either House of Parliament setting in its Standing Orders rules that limit consideration of Bills from the other House. Provisional Standing Order 92(1) is a recipe for retaliation by the other House and is not counterbalanced by any long practice of abuse. The Committee and the House are trying to make more questions voteable, a natural objective in a democracy. This rule moves in the opposite direction.