Speech (House debate)

{
    "time": "2008-01-29 10:05:00",
    "attribution": {
        "en": "Mr. Paul Szabo (Mississauga South, Lib.)",
        "fr": ""
    },
    "content": {
        "en": "<p data-HoCid=\"871731\" data-originallang=\"en\">Mr. Speaker, on October 18, 2007, the member for <a data-HoCid=\"79026\" href=\"/politicians/nathan-cullen/\" title=\"Nathan Cullen\">Skeena\u2014Bulkley Valley</a> rose on a matter of privilege relating to the designation of certain persons in his riding to serve the role of a quasi-member of Parliament instead of the elected member.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"871732\" data-originallang=\"en\">It raised an interesting issue because on January 11, 2008, during our break period, a constituent came to my office. I was there. The constituent asked about the serious issue of the policy of the government related to the importation of goods from countries such as China where there has been some problem in terms of health and safety.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"871733\" data-originallang=\"en\">We immediately contacted Service Canada to find out if it had the documentation on this issue that is very prevalent. It told us that we had to talk to Health Canada product safety.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"871734\" data-originallang=\"en\">My staff did contact Health Canada product safety and they were advised by Health Canada product safety that it would have to get back to them on that matter because there was some process to go through.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"871735\" data-originallang=\"en\">A phone call was received back from a different number totally. I have the name and phone number of the individual and I have personally talked to the person subsequently.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"871736\" data-originallang=\"en\">The question that was posed to my staff and subsequently to me was: \u201cIs your member of Parliament a member of the opposition?\u201d The Health Canada product safety representative was asking, with regard to my query, whether or not the member was a member of the opposition.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"871737\" data-originallang=\"en\">When I learned of this communication from my staff, I immediately contacted this person. I had an extensive conversation with the individual. I was told that there was a requirement for Health Canada product safety to fill out an MP response form which it receives from Ottawa. It must fill it out including quotations and extracts from the conversation with the member of Parliament or the member of Parliament's staff.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"871738\" data-originallang=\"en\">This matter goes to Ottawa so that Ottawa, wherever this little black hole may be in this government, it appears decides what can be told to a member of Parliament. It also wants to know specific details, I was told, to monitor our activities, so that it could be prepared should the matter ever come up in question period.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"871739\" data-originallang=\"en\">I want to refer you, Mr. Speaker, to page 87, <em>House of Commons Procedure and Practice </em>by Marleau and Montpetit, which quotes Speaker Bosley from May 6, 1985, in which he states:</p>\n<blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"871740\" data-originallang=\"en\"> It should go without saying that a Member of Parliament needs to perform his functions effectively and that anything tending to cause confusion as to a Member's identity creates the possibility of an impediment to the fulfilment of that Member's functions. Any action which impedes or tends to impede a Member in the discharge of his duties is a breach of privilege. There are ample citations and precedents that bear this out. </p>\n</blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"871741\" data-originallang=\"en\">I further refer you, Mr. Speaker, to page 69 of the 21st edition of Erskine May, <em>Treatise on the Law, Privileges, Proceedings and Usage of Parliament</em>, where it says:</p>\n<blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"871742\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Each House also claims the right to punish as contempts actions which, while not breaches of any specific privilege, obstruct or impede it in the performance of its functions, or are offences against its authority or dignity, such as disobedience to its legitimate commands or libels upon itself, its members or its officers-- </p>\n</blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"871743\" data-originallang=\"en\">We have a duty, Mr. Speaker, to uphold the privileges and the rights of members of Parliament and to ensure that they have all of the tools available to them to serve the people who elected them.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"871744\" data-originallang=\"en\">In this particular regard, I do not consider this to be a partisan matter when we asked about matters such as product safety and we were making a legitimate inquiry. However, I was also told specifically by this person that if a constituent had called directly he or she would have been given the answer immediately, but if members of Parliament who are in opposition ask the question, we have to be sanitized in terms of what can be said to us.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"871745\" data-originallang=\"en\">This is outrageous. This is a breach of my privileges as a member to serve my constituents. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"871746\" data-originallang=\"en\">I do not believe this is a matter simply to suggest that a member such as myself or any member who has these kinds of experiences with the government, which wants to somehow impede our ability to do our job, should raise it with procedure and House affairs.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"871747\" data-originallang=\"en\">This issue relates to each and every member of Parliament who is not a member of the government. Far too many people are impacted, and far too many members of this honourable place are impeded from doing their job in a responsible and a prompt fashion as is our duty.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"871748\" data-originallang=\"en\">Mr. Speaker, I therefore ask you to consider this clear breach of my privileges and the privileges of all members who are not members of the government. Should you find a prima facie case of a breach of my privileges and the privileges of other opposition members, I would be prepared to move the necessary motion.</p>",
        "fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"871731\" data-originallang=\"en\">Monsieur le Pr\u00e9sident, le 18 octobre 2007, le d\u00e9put\u00e9 de <a data-HoCid=\"79026\" href=\"/politicians/nathan-cullen/\" title=\"Nathan Cullen\">Skeena\u2014Bulkley Valley</a> a soulev\u00e9 la question de privil\u00e8ge au sujet de la d\u00e9signation de certaines personnes de sa circonscription pour agir comme quasi-d\u00e9put\u00e9s \u00e0 la place du d\u00e9put\u00e9 \u00e9lu.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"871732\" data-originallang=\"en\">Il s'agissait l\u00e0 d'une question int\u00e9ressante parce que, le 11 janvier 2008, pendant l'interruption de nos travaux, un \u00e9lecteur de ma circonscription est venu \u00e0 mon bureau. J'\u00e9tais l\u00e0. Cet \u00e9lecteur a pos\u00e9 une question s\u00e9rieuse au sujet de la politique du gouvernement concernant l'importation de biens de pays comme la Chine, o\u00f9 on a relev\u00e9 certains probl\u00e8mes de sant\u00e9 et de s\u00e9curit\u00e9.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"871733\" data-originallang=\"en\">Nous avons imm\u00e9diatement communiqu\u00e9 avec Service Canada pour v\u00e9rifier si le gouvernement offrait de la documentation sur cette question d'actualit\u00e9. On nous a dit que nous devions nous adresser au service sur la s\u00e9curit\u00e9 des produits \u00e0 Sant\u00e9 Canada.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"871734\" data-originallang=\"en\">Mon personnel a communiqu\u00e9 avec le service appropri\u00e9 de Sant\u00e9 Canada o\u00f9 on lui a dit que Sant\u00e9 Canada recommuniquerait avec lui parce qu'il y avait un certain processus \u00e0 suivre.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"871735\" data-originallang=\"en\">Aujourd'hui, mon personnel a re\u00e7u un appel t\u00e9l\u00e9phonique provenant d'un autre num\u00e9ro de t\u00e9l\u00e9phone que celui o\u00f9 il avait appel\u00e9. J'ai le nom et le num\u00e9ro de t\u00e9l\u00e9phone de la personne qui a rappel\u00e9 et j'ai moi-m\u00eame parl\u00e9 \u00e0 cette personne.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"871736\" data-originallang=\"en\">Le service de la s\u00e9curit\u00e9 des produits de Sant\u00e9 Canada a pos\u00e9 la question suivante \u00e0 mon personnel et, plus tard, \u00e0 moi aussi: \u00ab Est-ce que votre d\u00e9put\u00e9 est membre de l'opposition? \u00bb Donc, avant de r\u00e9pondre \u00e0 la question, l'employ\u00e9 de la s\u00e9curit\u00e9 des produits \u00e0 Sant\u00e9 Canada a demand\u00e9 si le d\u00e9put\u00e9 \u00e9tait dans l'opposition.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"871737\" data-originallang=\"en\">Lorsque j'ai appris cela de mon personnel, j'ai imm\u00e9diatement communiqu\u00e9 avec notre interlocuteur. J'ai eu une longue conversation avec lui. Il m'a dit que le service de la s\u00e9curit\u00e9 des produits \u00e0 Sant\u00e9 Canada devait remplir une fiche qu'il re\u00e7oit d'Ottawa en r\u00e9pondant \u00e0 une question d'un d\u00e9put\u00e9. Il doit notamment y inscrire des citations et des extraits de la conversation avec le d\u00e9put\u00e9 ou son personnel.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"871738\" data-originallang=\"en\">La question se rend \u00e0 Ottawa, de sorte qu'Ottawa, peu importe o\u00f9 se trouve le petit trou noir o\u00f9 cela s'engouffre, semble d\u00e9cider ce qui peut \u00eatre dit \u00e0 un d\u00e9put\u00e9. On m'a \u00e9galement affirm\u00e9 qu'Ottawa demandait des d\u00e9tails pr\u00e9cis pour surveiller nos activit\u00e9s afin d'\u00eatre pr\u00eat si jamais la question faisait surface \u00e0 la p\u00e9riode des questions.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"871739\" data-originallang=\"en\">Je vous renvoie, monsieur le Pr\u00e9sident, \u00e0 la page 87 de <em>La proc\u00e9dure et les usages de la Chambre des communes</em>, de Marleau et Montpetit, o\u00f9 on cite la d\u00e9cision suivante, rendue par le Pr\u00e9sident Bosley le 6 mai 1985:</p>\n<blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"871740\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Il va sans dire qu\u2019un d\u00e9put\u00e9 doit exercer ses fonctions comme il faut et que toute tentative de semer la confusion sur l\u2019identit\u00e9 d\u2019un d\u00e9put\u00e9 risque d\u2019emp\u00eacher ce d\u00e9put\u00e9 de remplir ses fonctions comme il se doit. Toute initiative qui emp\u00eache ou vise \u00e0 emp\u00eacher un d\u00e9put\u00e9 d\u2019exercer ses fonctions est une atteinte aux privil\u00e8ges. Cette opinion est corrobor\u00e9e par bien des commentaires et des pr\u00e9c\u00e9dents. </p>\n</blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"871741\" data-originallang=\"en\">Je vous renvoie aussi, monsieur le Pr\u00e9sident, \u00e0 la page 69 de la 21<sup>e</sup> \u00e9dition de l'ouvrage d'Erskine May, <em>Treatise on the Law, Privileges, Proceedings and Usage of Parliament</em>:</p>\n<blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"871742\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Par ailleurs, chacune des Chambres revendique \u00e9galement le droit de punir des actes qui, sans porter atteinte \u00e0 un privil\u00e8ge sp\u00e9cifique, l'entravent dans l'exercice de ses fonctions, ou font offense \u00e0 son autorit\u00e9 ou sa dignit\u00e9; c'est le cas de la d\u00e9sob\u00e9issance \u00e0 ses ordres l\u00e9gitimes, ou des propos diffamatoires \u00e0 son \u00e9gard ou \u00e0 celui de ses fonctionnaires ou de ses membres [...] </p>\n</blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"871743\" data-originallang=\"en\">Monsieur le Pr\u00e9sident, nous avons le devoir de respecter les privil\u00e8ges et les droits des d\u00e9put\u00e9s et de veiller \u00e0 ce que ceux-ci aient tous les outils disponibles pour servir les citoyens qui les ont \u00e9lus.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"871744\" data-originallang=\"en\">En l'occurrence, je ne vois rien de partisan au fait de poser des questions sur la s\u00e9curit\u00e9 d'un produit et de formuler une demande l\u00e9gitime de renseignements. Toutefois, la personne m'a \u00e9galement pr\u00e9cis\u00e9 qu'on aurait r\u00e9pondu imm\u00e9diatement \u00e0 l'\u00e9lecteur s'il avait appel\u00e9 lui-m\u00eame, mais que si c'est un d\u00e9put\u00e9 de l'opposition qui pose la question, la r\u00e9ponse est filtr\u00e9e.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"871745\" data-originallang=\"en\">C'est scandaleux. C'est une violation des privil\u00e8ges qui me sont conf\u00e9r\u00e9s pour que je serve les \u00e9lecteurs de ma circonscription.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"871746\" data-originallang=\"en\">Je ne crois pas qu'il s'agisse d'un cas o\u00f9 l'on peut se contenter de sugg\u00e9rer \u00e0 tout d\u00e9put\u00e9 qui, comme moi, se heurterait \u00e0 ce genre d'attitude de la part du gouvernement \u2014 lequel cherche en quelque sorte \u00e0 nous emp\u00eacher de faire notre travail \u2014 de soumettre la question au Comit\u00e9 de la proc\u00e9dure et des affaires de la Chambre.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"871747\" data-originallang=\"en\">Cette question touche tous les d\u00e9put\u00e9s qui ne font pas partie des minist\u00e9riels. Beaucoup trop de gens sont touch\u00e9s et on emp\u00eache beaucoup trop de d\u00e9put\u00e9s de cet honorable endroit d'accomplir leur travail de mani\u00e8re responsable et rapide, comme il se doit.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"871748\" data-originallang=\"en\">Monsieur le Pr\u00e9sident, je vous demande donc d'examiner cette atteinte manifeste \u00e0 mes privil\u00e8ges et aux privil\u00e8ges de tous les d\u00e9put\u00e9s qui ne font pas partie du gouvernement. Si vous jugez qu'il y a, \u00e0 premi\u00e8re vue, atteinte \u00e0 mes privil\u00e8ges et \u00e0 ceux des autres d\u00e9put\u00e9s de l'opposition, je suis dispos\u00e9 \u00e0 pr\u00e9senter la motion appropri\u00e9e.</p>"
    },
    "url": "/debates/2008/1/29/paul-szabo-1/",
    "politician_url": "/politicians/paul-szabo/",
    "politician_membership_url": "/politicians/memberships/3198/",
    "procedural": false,
    "source_id": "2279526",
    "h1": {
        "en": "Routine Proceedings",
        "fr": ""
    },
    "h2": {
        "en": "Privilege",
        "fr": ""
    },
    "h3": {
        "en": "Alleged impediment in the discharge of a Member's duties",
        "fr": ""
    },
    "document_url": "/debates/2008/1/29/",
    "related": {
        "document_speeches_url": "/speeches/?document=%2Fdebates%2F2008%2F1%2F29%2F"
    }
}