Posts Tagged ‘Statements by Members’

Saving the House of Commons

By Aaron Wherry - Friday, December 2, 2011 - 0 Comments

As much fun as it might be to lament for the House of Commons, some of that energy might be put to use figuring out how to fix it.

Reform has been a bit of a preoccupation around here over the last few years and various proposals have been offered, noted and considered. And here is a collection of many of those proposals: real, structural reforms that could change the way our House of Commons functions.

There is much here to debate. And there are no doubt other ideas out there. But this could be the basis of an agenda for fixing the institution. Continue…

  • Disturbance in the House

    By Aaron Wherry - Monday, November 9, 2009 at 12:44 PM - 8 Comments

    In the autumn issue of Canadian Parliamentary Review, Evan Sotiropoulos applies a little qualitative and quantitative analysis to the spectacle that now is the 15 minutes before Question Period reserved for statements by members.

    My extensive review of parliamentary transcripts showed that unparliamentary or partisan discourse is on the rise during Members’ Statements in the House of Commons. Policy differences and their expression in a democratic society should not be used as cover for mean spirited attacks. All Members, regardless of party affiliation, should strive to arrest this decline in political discourse and help to cultivate a political environment conducive to cooperation.

    The Speaker has the power required to sanction those parliamentarians who violate Standing Order 31. Throughout the 38th and 39th Parliaments, however, many examples can be found of violations of the spirit of the rule. It is no wonder then that when Speaker Milliken issued his warning to House Leaders, most Members simply ignored his advice and continued to follow the pattern set over the past five years.

    Elsewhere in the CPR, an expansive attempt to rethink Question Period. More on that once I’ve read it all.

  • By the numbers (II)

    By Aaron Wherry - Tuesday, May 5, 2009 at 12:09 PM - 19 Comments

    Stephen Harper, Friday. “We just had an election. What we’re looking for from Ignatieff and the other parties is, obviously, an opportunity to work together to advance the interest of the country. We do think that, rather than this kind of partisanship, people should be seeking ways to work together to advance our shared interests at this time of recession.”

    Since returning in January, the House has been in session for a total of 49 normal business days.

    On each of those 49 days, the schedule, as dictated by Standing Order 31 of Parliament, has dictated that 15 minutes before Question Period be reserved for “statements by members”—time typically used by MPs to publicly celebrate local bake sales, pass on congratulations to noteworthy constituents or champion personal causes.

    Through yesterday, Conservative members have used 81 of these statements since the House returned to cast aspersion or accusation on the Liberal opposition or its leader.

From Macleans