May 25, 2010

Ottawa – Gord Brown, Member of Parliament for Leeds-Grenville, says he is looking forward to debate on a Motion he seconded that will reform Question Period if it is adopted.
 
Introduced by fellow MP Michael Chong, the Motion (M-517), if adopted, will order the Standing Committee on House Procedure and Affairs to consider a number of reforms to Question Period.
 
“I believe Canadians want Question Period to be reformed so that we can raise the level of debate,” says Brown.
 
The Motion calls for:

• Elevated decorum and fortification of the use of discipline by the Speaker
• Lengthening the amount of time allotted to each question and answer
• Requiring that a Minister respond directly to questions that are directed at them
• Allocating half the questions each day to backbench members
• Dedicating Wednesday exclusively for questions to the Prime Minister and
• Dedicating the rest of the week for questions to Ministers other than the Prime Minister on a rotating schedule.

 
“I receive a lot of comments on Question Period. People expect accountability but in its current format Question Period is not providing that accountability,” says Brown.
 
Most of what Canadians learn about what is occurring in the House of Commons is what they see from the 45 minute Question Period.
 
“It is important that this portion of our day provides meaningful information and insight into what the government is doing. These reforms would go a long way to achieving that.”
 
The Motion was introduced on May 6 and receives its first hour of debate Thursday, May 27.


M-517 — April 14, 2010 — Mr. Chong (Wellington—Halton Hills) — That the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs be instructed to recommend changes to the Standing Orders and other conventions governing Oral Questions, and to consider, among other things, (i) elevating decorum and fortifying the use of discipline by the Speaker, to strengthen the dignity and authority of the House, (ii) lengthening the amount of time given for each question and each answer, (iii) examining the convention that the Minister questioned need not respond, (iv) allocating half the questions each day for Members, whose names and order of recognition would be randomly selected, (v) dedicating Wednesday exclusively for questions to the Prime Minister, (vi) dedicating Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday for questions to Ministers other than the Prime Minister in a way that would require Ministers be present two of the four days to answer questions concerning their portfolio, based on a published schedule that would rotate and that would ensure an equitable distribution of Ministers across the four days; and that the Committee report its findings to the House, with proposed changes to the Standing Orders and other conventions, within six months of the adoption of this order.