1992 Legislative Session: 1st Session, 35th Parliament
The following electronic version is for informational purposes only.
The printed version remains the official version.
No. 26
OF THE
Monday, April 13, 1992
Two o'clock p.m.
Prayers by Mr. Beattie.
The Hon. D. Marzari made a statement relating to the death of Mildred Farney.
The Hon. T. Perry made a statement.
Mr. Anderson made a statement.
The Speaker made a statement relating to the rules applicable to questions and answers during Oral Question Period, as follows:
Honourable Members:
On Thursday last, the Government House Leader and both Opposition House Leaders, rose on a point of order relating to the conduct of Question Period in this House.
The heart of the guidelines for Question Period is embodied in the words of Standing Order 47A (b) which read as follows: questions and answers shall be brief and precise, and stated without argument or opinion.
While the Chair has, from time to time, recited this particular subsection, and believes all Honourable Members are quite familiar with its intent, based on the comments of last Thursday's point of order, quite clearly, neither Government nor Opposition is completely satisfied with the way Question Period is unfolding.
The Chair has also examined the official record of this House covering the last two weeks of Question Period, and while many questions and answers conform to the rule, many do not. Unless the Members, in framing questions and preambles, and Ministers, in formulating their answers, conscientiously observe the spirit of section 47A, the House is in difficulty. The Chair is powerless to rewrite questions or rephrase answers for Honourable Members. Presiding officers throughout the Commonwealth have stated that Members must take the ultimate responsibility for conforming to the rules which are the Members' rules and not the Speaker's rules.
To assist Members in better understanding the areas which appear to be giving the House the most difficulty, I have asked the Sergeant-at-Arms to circulate a Decision of a former Speaker of this House, which may be found on page 86 of Parliamentary Practice in British Columbia. The Speaker's comments of June 30, 1982, deal very specifically with the same complaints voiced by all Honourable House Leaders on Thursday last.
I am also supplying to each Member of the House the rules as stated in Beauchesne's Parliamentary Rules and Forms, which Honourable Members may wish to keep readily available, to assist in framing questions and formulating answers during Question Period.
The Chair in this Legislature is prepared to guide and assist but ultimately it is up to all Honourable Members to take responsibility for making Question Period in this House effective and in accordance with the well established rules.
Joan Sawicki, Speaker
Order called for "Oral Questions by Members."
The Hon. D. Miller (Minister of Forests) made a ministerial statement relating to the hazards of tree spiking in the forests of British Columbia.
The House proceeded to "Orders of the Day."
Order for Committee of Supply called.
The House again resolved itself into the Committee of Supply.
(In the Committee)
The Committee rose and reported progress.
Report to be considered at the next sitting.
Committee to sit again at the next sitting.
By leave, on the motion of the Hon. C. Gabelmann, it was Ordered that Mr. Giesbrecht be added to the list of Members comprising Section A of Committee of Supply and that he be appointed Deputy Chair of Section A.
And then the House adjourned at 5.58 p.m.
JOAN SAWICKI, Speaker
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