This report reviews the implementation of the recommendations in the Committee's first and sixth report concerning the regulation of standards of conduct in the House. It concludes that although real progress has been made in enforcing high standards, one or two serious cases could have a disproportionate effect on public confidence. Many witnesses identified a lack of clarity in the regulatory arrangements, especially in relation to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards and the Committee on Standards and Privileges. There are 27 recommendations, including one that states that ministers who are members of the House should co-operate with any investigation, at all stages.

This reference book is primarily a procedural work which examines the many forms, customs, and practices which have been developed and established for the House of Commons since Confederation in 1867. It provides a distinctive Canadian perspective in describing procedure in the House up to the end of the first session of the 36th Parliament in Sept. 1999. The material is presented with full commentary on the historical circumstances which have shaped the current approach to parliamentary business. Key Speaker's rulings and statements are also documented and the considerable body of practice, interpretation, and precedents unique to the Canadian House of Commons is amply illustrated. Chapters of the book cover the following: parliamentary institutions; parliaments and ministries; privileges and immunities; the House and its Members; parliamentary procedure; the physical & administrative setting; the Speaker & other presiding officers; the parliamentary cycle; sittings of the House; the daily program; oral & written questions; the process of debate; rules of order & decorum; the curtailment of debate; special debates; the legislative process; delegated legislation; financial procedures; committees of the whole House; committees; private Members' business; public petitions; private bills practice; and the parliamentary record. Includes index.

In January 2013 three lay members became part of a new Committee on Standards. As a result of the lay members' reflections on the experience of their first year in office the Committee on Standards decided to undertake a comprehensive review of the standards system in the House of Commons. There has been a decline in public trust, not just in politics but in other institutions. The expenses scandal played a significant part in reducing public trust, and the Committee do not underestimate its impact. It still has an immense effect on how MPs' activities are seen and reported. The majority of MPs carry out their tasks without any questions raised about the propriety of their actions. The growth in constituency case work suggests that while the public may distrust MPs in general, in practice they are willing to bring individual MPs their problems. MPs have a complex and multi-faceted role, and one of the lessons of the last year has been that there is little understanding of what MPs do, the rules governing their conduct, and the ways in which those rules are enforced. This Report is intended to increase that understanding, as well as to propose improvements. This report sets out the range of functions that an MP undertakes. It describes the various aspects of MPs' work and the limitations of their role. It acknowledges MPs need the freedom to decide their priorities within a potentially infinite workload. The Committee believes self-regulation, with external input, is the appropriate system.