In the case of New Brunswick Broadcasting v Nova Scotia, what was the key issue regarding parliamentary privilege?

The key issue in New Brunswick Broadcasting v Nova Scotia revolved around the use of broadcast equipment during legislative sessions, specifically focusing on the concept of parliamentary privilege. The case dealt with whether the legislature could restrict the media’s access to its proceedings and to what extent parliamentary privilege protects the ability of legislatures to conduct their affairs without interference.

Parliamentary privilege encompasses various rights and immunities necessary for the functioning of parliamentary bodies, aimed at ensuring that lawmakers can perform their duties without outside pressures or consequences. In this case, the court examined how restrictions on broadcasting could impact the public's right to information and accountability of the legislature. The ruling ultimately affirmed the importance of access for media, thereby emphasizing that while parliamentary privilege allows legislatures certain freedoms, it should not unduly limit public access to the workings of government.

Other options such as access to public documents, the authority of the Supreme Court, and provision of legislative funding are not as central to the decision in this case, which predominantly highlighted the relationship between legislative procedures and media access regarding broadcasting legislative sessions. The ruling emphasized the balance between the need for legislative autonomy and the public's right to be informed, clarifying the parameters of parliamentary privilege specifically in the context of media access during sessions.