Questions

Introduction

Since 1964, year of the first-ever codification of Question Period rules, there has been a constant evolution in the treatment of questions, particularly oral questions. In 1974, for example, questions had to pertain to a subject-matter within the area of responsibility of the Minister, but should not raise business, particularly legislation, currently before the House. Dissatisfaction with any answer, or with the delay in providing an answer to a written question, could not be considered a question of privilege. While questions were normally addressed to the Ministry, some could be put to a committee chairman, but only to elicit information about the committee's schedule of business. Although Speaker Lamoureux had authorized Parliamentary Secretaries to ask questions as well as to answer them, in 1975 Speaker Jerome ruled that Parliamentary Secretaries should not be permitted to ask questions, and this has since become the accepted practice. Speaker Sauvé gave further precision to the type of questions that may be asked of committee chairmen and the extent to which Ministers may be asked questions on their administrative responsibilities. In this chapter, Speaker Francis clarifies the guidelines governing supplementary questions.