The complaint raised by Senator Cowan is, in essence, a matter of possible contempt, that is to say " Any conduct which offends the authority or dignity of the House, even though no breach of any specific privilege may have been committed .Contempt may be an act or an omission; it does not have to actually obstruct or impede the House or a [Senator], it merely has to have the tendency to produce such results'.
La plainte exprimée par le sénateur Cowan évoque, essentiellement, la possibilité d'un outrage. Voici ce que dit à ce sujet le Marleau-Montpetit, à la page 52 : « Toute conduite qui cause préjudice à l'autorité ou à la dignité de la Chambre est considérée comme un outrage au Parlement.