Questions / Oral Questions

May 17, 1984

Debates p. 3832

On April 6, 1984, Mr. Blaikie (Winnipeg—Birds Hill) asked Mr. Speaker to provide the House with guidelines on Question Period. He stated that in his opinion it was turning into a series of "maxi debates" and fewer and fewer backbenchers were having an opportunity to ask questions. He urged the Speaker to exercise stronger control. On May 17, 1984, Mr. Speaker made a statement to the House addressing the problem of supplementary questions during Question Period.

Issue

What constitutes a supplementary question and in what form should it be asked?

Statement by the Speaker

The extent to which supplementary questions may be asked is in the discretion of the Speaker. British Speaker Lowther said in 1915, "... the object of supplementary questions is to elucidate any ambiguity in the reply of a Minister or to seek further information if he can give it; -". Speaker Jerome noted that the supplementary question is a follow-up device flowing from the response and ought to be a precise question put directly and immediately to the Minister without further statement. It must only refer to the answer out of which it immediately arises and be clearly linked to it. It is not sufficient to claim that the supplementary question to another Minister is on the same subject matter as the principal question. There must be obvious cause from the answer of the first Minister to allow a supplementary question to be redirected to another Minister.

As to the form, a supplementary question must not be read or be too long. It should rarely be preceded by a preamble or contain any argument.