Questions / Oral Questions

Anticipating subjects under Orders of the Day

Journals p. 665

Debates p. 7076

Background

On June 25, when Mr. Stanfield (Leader of the Opposition) was seeking to put some questions to the Minister of Finance relating to the budget, the Speaker intervened to explain that the matter posed a difficulty for the Chair. "It has been the constant and consistent position", the Speaker said, "that when a subject matter has been reserved for debate on Orders of the Day, that questions on that particular subject ought to be deferred until debate is held". At the same time the Chair recognized that such a rule should not be enforced too rigidly, a position strongly endorsed by several Members from all sides of the House. In fact, according to Mr. Broadbent (Oshawa-Whitby), during the budget of the previous autumn Members had been allowed to put questions on the budget to the Minister of Finance. The Speaker decided to review the matter.

Issue

Does the rule of anticipation require that oral questions concerning a subject matter to be considered under Orders of the Day be declared out of order?

Decision

The Speaker will allow a reasonable number of questions on budget topics despite the rule of anticipation.

Reasons given by the Speaker

In the past there has been a restriction against anticipating Orders of the Day in the Question Period.

During the budget debate and the debate on the Address, however, there has been a relaxation of the rules which might permit the Chair some guidance in allowing certain questions during the Question Period so long as they do not monopolize the limited time available.

References

Debates, June 25, 1975, pp. 7042-3.