Separation from local politics.

 House of Commons May 26, 1970 Ottawa. Mr. Barry Mather (Surrey) New Democratic Party: "Mr. Speaker, I have a question I want to ask the Acting Prime Minister...Will the government do what it can to keep the NCC out of local politics, having in mind that people in every constituency in Canada are paying for its operation?"

Some hon. Members: "Hear, hear!"

Hon. G.J. McIlraith (Solicitor General of Canada) Liberal. (Acting Prime Minister): "I quite agree with the hon. member that matters affecting the national capital are of concern to members from all parts of the country, and because this is the capital of the whole country they are not matters for only the local area members."

Mr. Robert Muir (Cape Breton-The Sydneys) "A supplementary question. Would the Acting Prime Minister ask the Chairman of the NCC to keep his nose out of local politics, and also---"

John James Greene (Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources) Liberal: "Order."

Mr. Muir (Cape Breton-The Sydneys): "How "greene" is my valley? Would the Acting Prime Minister ask the Chairman of the NCC to name names as to the greedy speculators and greedy politicians he condemned when speaking to the children who were in Ottawa under the sponsorship of the Rotary Club of Canada?"

 Local interference pertaining to zoning, redevelopment and divestiture of federal properties:  Mer Bleue; the Chateau Laurier Hotel (views of the Rideau Canal and changes to Major's Hill Park); the Woodroffe Avenue Greenbelt; Tunney's Pasture; Confederation Heights; Queen Elizabeth Drive and many other scenic highways; bridges over the Rideau Canal; removing land from Parliament Hill and the Supreme Court of Canada on Wellington Street for a transit project; 

The role of the NCC was to advise the government of Canada: House of Commons Ottawa May 15, 1970 Hon. G.J. McIlraith (Acting Prime Minister) Liberal: "I do not want to be put in the position of giving a legal opinion on the National Capital Commission legislation, but it is quite clear in the Act that the function of that commission is to advise the government on the planning of the national capital region. The responsibility for decision is that of the government and not of the commission."

Contempt of Parliament: House of Commons Ottawa October 19, 1970 Mr. Francis (Chief Government Whip's assistant) Liberal: "...The head of the National Capital Commission was quoted in the press as saying that he thinks he might move the Prime Minister away from Harrington Lake. I do not know if that is an accurate quotation but it is what was printed. Such a statement is dangerously close to contempt of the executive branch, if not the legislative branch of Parliament."