A member of the Liberal Party expressed his desire for longer, more detailed responses during question period in the House of Commons, advocating for less focus on social media-friendly soundbites.
Corey Hogan, a Member of Parliament from Alberta, announced his intention to advocate for changes in question period proceedings during the upcoming discussion on the standing orders of the House of Commons, scheduled for Friday.
Hogan emphasized the need for substantive answers, stating that the current format with 35-second questions and answers lacks depth and fails to provide Canadians with meaningful insights into global issues.
Question period, a key component of parliamentary proceedings where opposition MPs interrogate government ministers, operates within strict time constraints overseen by the House Speaker.
The Speaker, responsible for ensuring adherence to time limits, signals MPs when their speaking time is nearing its end and may move on to the next member if a response or question exceeds the allotted time.
Hogan criticized the brevity of answers in question period, noting that the current format prioritizes generating social media sound bites over ensuring government accountability.
While Hogan did not propose a specific time limit for responses, he suggested that responses could extend beyond the current 35-second limit, as was common in the 1990s.
He stressed that response lengths should vary based on the complexity of the question, allowing the Speaker to intervene if a minister’s response becomes excessively long.
Feedback from Opposition MPs
Question period is limited to 45 minutes, with time allocated to opposition parties based on their seat distribution.
Dan Albas, a Conservative MP from British Columbia, voiced concerns that extending response times for the government could reduce opportunities for opposition parties to ask questions.
Interim NDP Leader Don Davies highlighted the importance of quality answers over longer responses, stating that the onus is on the government to address the effectiveness of question period.
Friday’s debate is unlikely to result in immediate changes, as any modifications to parliamentary procedures would require committee review.
Hogan is engaging with colleagues on the House procedures and affairs committee to prioritize discussions on question period reform.
Committee chair Chris Bittle, a Liberal MP from Ontario, expressed readiness to consider proposals brought forth by MPs.
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