Ruling
March 27, 2001
Oral Questions: administrative responsibility of the Government; question ruled out of order
Hon. Peter Milliken
Speaker of the House
Ruling Text
The Speaker:
The Chair is quite prepared to rule on this issue immediately. I refer the hon. Member for Burnaby–Douglas to Marleau and Montpetit, as he has done, at page 426:
—In summary, when recognized in Question Period, a Member should—ask a question that is within the administrative responsibility of the government or the individual Minister addressed.
Furthermore, a question should not—seek an opinion, either legal or otherwise— The hon. Member asked the Minister for his opinion on what some other hon. Member had done. It had nothing to do with Government expenditure. It had nothing to do with the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Apparently there was a choice by these Members, on the face of the hon. Member's question, to take a trip from someone else. That is not the business of the Minister and in my opinion it is clearly not part of the administrative responsibility of the Government. The Member was seeking an opinion. He violated the principles on two counts. The question was out of order. I have no doubt on the issue..
[1]
Debates, March 27, 2001, p. 2309.
Edit Metadata
Holding
"A question directed to a Minister is out of order if it seeks an opinion on the actions of other Members, as this does not fall within the administrative responsibility of the government."
AI Summary
The Speaker ruled a question out of order because it sought a minister's opinion on another member's actions, which is outside the government's administrative responsibility.
AI Analysis
- Outcome
- Sustained
- Tone
- Stern
- Procedural Stage
- Oral Questions
- Significance
Low
High
AI Keywords
Cited Authorities
- Marleau and Montpetit (p. 426)