Statement
June 12, 2014
Thursday Statement: length of statements
Hon. Andrew Scheer
Speaker of the House
Ruling Text
The Speaker:
I appreciate the hon.
Member for Winnipeg North raising this point, as his colleague from Halifax West did last week.
I have had the opportunity to look at the scope of previous Thursday questions from previous years in previous Parliaments, and it does seem to the Chair that the length of time that the question takes up has certainly expanded.
I do ask Members, the House Leader of the Official Opposition, and the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons to keep in mind the principle behind the Thursday question, which is to inform the House of the upcoming business.
There are other opportunities to debate aspects of the current legislation in terms of the timing of it. Especially as we get into these late days in June, it might be well for them to remember the purpose of the Thursday question and not to have an extension of Question Period or other types of debate.
I do ask them to keep that in mind. I think the House would appreciate a return to the more specific scope of the original Thursday questions..
[1]
Debates, June 12, 2014, p. 6750.
Edit Metadata
Holding
"The weekly Thursday question should be concise and focused on its purpose of informing the House of upcoming business, not used as an extension of Question Period or other debates."
AI Summary
The Speaker advised House Leaders to keep the weekly 'Thursday question' concise and focused on announcing upcoming business, rather than extending it into a debate.
AI Analysis
- Outcome
- Other
- Tone
- Conciliatory
- Procedural Stage
- Routine Proceedings
- Significance
Low
High