Wellington-Halton Hills Conservative MP Michael Chong is hoping a favourable ruling from House of Commons speaker Andrew Scheer will allow all members of parliament an opportunity to raise issues in the House.
“All members have a fundamental and unfettered right to speak in the House of Commons,” Chong said in a telephone interview from his Ottawa office.
“(That will) restore the right without having to get prior approval.”
The current procedure in the House allows for individual parties to determine which member will speak on a given issue, which, according to Chong, jeopardizes open debate by “command and control.”
The MP said the current procedure does not allow for members to bring up issues that impact their individual constituents.
Chong has earlier commented on concerns he raised about a mega quarry planned near Shelburne that he felt should have been raised in the House of Commons.
The quarry was eventually abandoned by investors due to public outcry.
Rights violated
Chong has long worked to have the current procedure changed, claiming members’ rights as elected officials are being violated.
Chong contends parties have a right to discipline their members who oppose party policies, but members should still be allowed to publicly voice their opinions.
In 2010 MPs voted in favour of a motion by Chong to improve decorum and openness in the House.
The motion went to a committee charged with holding public meetings on the issue and eventually died on the table when parliament was shut down because of the election.
Chong is hoping Scheer will rule that procedure will fall under the jurisdiction of the speaker and be taken out of the hands of individual party whips.
“My simple request is that members’ statements, who gets to speak, be decided by the speaker,” said Chong.
The MP would not speculate on when a ruling might come down.
