I am now prepared to rule on the question of privilege raised last Friday by the hon. member for Hochelaga—Maisonneuve regarding comments exchanged during oral question period between him and the government House leader.
The hon. member for Hochelaga—Maisonneuve contends that the comments made by the government House leader were abusive and threatening.
Before addressing the question of privilege I would like to thank the hon. member for having drawn the matter to the attention of the House. I would also like to thank the government House leader, the whip of the Bloc Quebecois and the hon. member for Brossard—La Prairie for their contributions to the discussion.
I take this opportunity to remind all hon. members that anything said outside this House that is not directly related to the proceedings of the House or one of its committees is not protected by parliamentary privilege. In such circumstances, members run the same risks and have the same rights and responsibilities as any other citizen. Consequently, I do not wish to comment further on a matter over which the Speaker does not have authority.
Here in the House, however, members enjoy absolute privilege. I would refer the hon. members to page 74 of Marleau and Montpetit's House of Commons Procedure and Practice , which states the following:
Freedom of speech permits Members to speak freely in the Chamber during a sitting or in committees during meetings while enjoying complete immunity from prosecution for any comment they might make.
This freedom is essential to the work done within the parliamentary precinct. At the same time, such freedom implies great responsibilities. We must all bear in mind the potential impact of our comments not just on the reputations of our colleagues in the House but also on those of individuals outside the House.
The use of provocative or threatening words, regardless of their meaning in absolute or abstract terms, can also hinder the effective conduct of House business. For this reason, the Chair must pay careful attention to what is said here, especially during Oral Question Period.
Comments which are not intended to create disorder, but which have that effect, should be strictly avoided. Previous Speakers of the House have often recalled that every member shares part of the responsibility for maintaining order in the House. The efficient conduct of business, especially during Oral Question Period, requires the co-operation of all members from both sides of the House.
In this matter, I have carefully reviewed the comments of both members. In my view, there is simply a disagreement on the facts or the interpretation of the facts. Differences of opinion on facts are not rare in the House and do not constitute a violation of parliamentary privilege.
I again thank the hon. member for Hochelaga—Maisonneuve for having raised this matter. Determining the sort of behaviour that will enable us to conduct our business in an atmosphere of decorum and respect should be of the utmost concern to all of us.