Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the motion which is before us on a point of order. I would like to draw your attention to Marleau and Montpetit, starting at page 365 under Routine Proceedings, and I quote:
The daily routine of business, commonly referred to as “Routine Proceedings”, is a time in the daily schedule when business of a basic nature is considered, providing Members with an opportunity to bring a variety of matters to the attention of the House, generally without debate.
We have an issue being brought forward by a member of one political party that is perhaps uncomfortable for us to discuss here but nonetheless is on the order paper and will therefore have to be discussed.
To continue, at page 369 of Marleau and Montpetit dealing with a precedent, I quote:
On April 13, 1987, the government attempted to skip over certain rubrics under Routine Proceedings when the Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister moved that the House proceed from “Tabling of Documents” to “Motions” which, if carried, would have had the effect of superseding all intervening rubrics. The Speaker had ruled out of order a similar motion only a few months earlier. A point of order arose, a debate ensued and the Speaker reserved judgment.
This is exactly what is happening here today where the government wants to bypass Routine Proceedings because of its convenience and its desire, not the House's desire, and therefore this precedent I think applies specifically.
In his ruling Speaker Fraser expressed concern and in the end he ruled that the motion could stand but stand for that one time only. At page 370 of Marleau and Montpetit he stated:
—the House would be served best if the government were allowed to proceed, in this instance only—
The article finishes up:
He elaborated further that the decision was circumscribed by events for which the rules of procedure offered no solution and was not to be regarded as a precedent.
That particular issue arose because the government's agenda and the agenda of the House was being seized by various motions and issues that disrupted the proceedings of the House and the House could not do its business. That is not the case before us at the moment. The government can do its business. The government just does not want to handle the daily routine of business and issues being raised by members of the House.
I would like to draw to your attention, Mr. Speaker, some historical content that the House of Commons has to defend itself against the crown, the government. The Speaker is the person who speaks on our behalf as members of the House of Commons. The Speaker has to uphold the rights and privileges of us as members in the House against the crown.
We have before us a motion to pass by opportunities of members to bring to the House issues which they feel important. We have had the government House leader and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister who represent the government dictating to the House that we will do their business rather than the business of the House. This is the issue, Mr. Speaker. You have to uphold the members, not uphold the crown. That is your duty and it is our privilege that you do so.
Government members have spoken about this being an allotted day and that these allotted days have to get through because we are coming to the end of the supply period. Without going into a great deal of historical reference, we know that allotted days are the final crumbs that we in the House have to debate the business of supply and the granting to the crown of supply in order for it to do its business. It is the final few crumbs left on the table for us to hold the government to account.
Because it has squeezed that final few crumbs right to the end of the supply period and denied us during the normal period of supply the right to debate these issues, the government now finds that its agenda is constrained in order to allow us the few crumbs and rights that we have through allotted days.
The point is that you have a duty, Mr. Speaker, to uphold the privileges of the House against the crown. The crown does not want us as members to debate issues that we could bring up under Routine Proceedings. I ask you to rule the motion out of order.