Freedom of Speech and the Office of Speaker.
By Canadian Parliamentary Review
- Release Date: 1998-03-22
- Genre: Law
Description
David Hamilton is Clerk of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly. This is a revised version of a paper presented to the 15th Canadian Presiding Officers' Conference in Victoria, British Columbia, January 15-18, 1998. One of the most important ways a member represents his or her constituents is by raising issues in the legislature. Presiding Officers face a dilemma in this regard. As elected members they are expected to represent their constituents. Yet by tradition they are precluding from speaking in debate or participating in question period except as an impartial referee. This paper will examine the inter-relationship between freedom of speech as it relates to the role of the Speaker and the political convention that the Speaker raise issues in a forum other than on the floor of the House.
