Parliamentary Privilege

'Parliamentary privilege plays an essential role in parliamentary democracy. It is described as, “the sum of the privileges, immunities and powers enjoyed by the Senate, the House of Commons and provincial legislative assemblies, and by each member individually, without which they could not discharge their functions.” Its origins can be traced to the emergence of the United Kingdom Parliament, specifically to the passage of the Bill of Rights in 1689, which confirmed the privilege of freedom of speech in debates or proceedings in Parliament'--Introduction, Chapter 1.