Questions / Written Questions

Form

Debates pp. 3756-7

Background

Mr. MacInnis (Cape Breton South) rose on a question of privilege concerning the fact that the Clerk of the House, on the Speaker's instructions, had refused to place two questions submitted by Mr. MacInnis on the Order Paper because they "contravene recent rulings made in the House with respect to the form in which questions should be placed". The questions related to Ministers' public statements made outside the House on matters of government policy. After hearing the Member's views, the Speaker made his ruling.

Issue

Can a question on the Order Paper be addressed to a Minister if the subject-matter of the question is outside that Minister's administrative responsibilities?

Decision

No. A question of this type is out of order.

Reasons given by the Speaker

Ample precedents support the view that "the Prime Minister can be asked whether a statement of policy made outside the House by a Cabinet Minister does in fact reflect the policy of the Government ... [I]t should not be the policy in the House that Ministers be asked to answer questions, written or verbal, in any capacity other than in their official capacities ... Where there is any doubt about who is responsible, questions in such instances should be directed to the Prime Minister, who has general responsibility."

References

Debates, April 1, 1966, pp. 3755-8.