I have a statement on the question of privilege raised today by the Leader of the Opposition concerning remarks made in committee of the whole.
I would like to return to the question of privilege raised earlier today by the Leader of the Opposition concerning allegedly misleading responses to questions. Allegations of this nature have been raised in the House in the past. The Speaker has sometimes found a prima facie question of privilege and at other times has found it was a matter of a dispute as to facts.
Today, however, the situation is somewhat particular in that the question of privilege was raised in the committee of the whole and the procedure for dealing with it is quite different than it is in the House.
What complicates this matter even further is that the work of the committee of the whole today and the work scheduled this summer are strictly governed by an order of the House that limits these proceedings and dictates that the committee must now rise. However, according to the same motion, the committee of the whole will meet again in two weeks.
Accordingly, with the indulgence of the hon. members, I propose to look further into this issue and return to the committee at the next meeting. I thank all members for their attention.