Rhéal Fortin at the Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics Committee

On March 29th, 2021. See this statement in context.

March 29th, 2021 / 3:05 p.m.

Bloc

Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC

I'm not aware of that tradition, Mr. Minister. I've never heard of it.

I'm probably naive, but I was under the impression that the House of Commons is the highest authority in Canada and that nobody can contravene an order of the House without being liable to severe penalties. Now you're telling me that there's a tradition that allows ministers to contravene obligations imposed on them by the House of Commons. That's news to me.

Does this same tradition authorize you to encourage people to disobey orders of the House, or rather, to instruct them to do so? Is that the same tradition?

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