Mr. Speaker, I would just say, “Oh my gosh”, God forbid that something that happened in this place would have an impact on something that happened out in the rest of Canada. Things that happen in this place are supposed to have an impact on what happens outside. That is the reason why we have the privilege and free speech.
The member, in his interesting remarks, suggested, and he actually said that the passage of this motion would result in an expansion of the privilege right, of the right of free speech, and I did not quite understand that. I do not agree with him if he believes that to be the case, particularly in light of subsections 4(a) and 4(b) of the Parliament of Canada Act which strictly limits our privileges, including the right of free speech, to those in existence at the time the Constitution Act was passed.
I will read the section for the record, if it is useful:
4. The Senate and the House of Commons, respectively, and the members thereof hold, enjoy and exercise
(a) such and the like privileges, immunities and powers as, at the time of the passing of the Constitution Act, 1867, were held, enjoyed and exercised by the Commons House of Parliament of the United Kingdom and by the members thereof, in so far as is consistent with that Act; and
(b) such privileges, immunities and powers as are defined by Act of the Parliament of Canada, not exceeding those, at the time of the passing of the Act, held, enjoyed and exercised by the Commons House of Parliament of the United Kingdom and by the members thereof.
It is actually legally impossible for us to actually expand our privileges, including the free speech right, and so I would ask him to perhaps respond to that and maybe adjust his suggestion that we were so expanding them.