This riding’s MP Michael Chong is making another pitch for decorum in the House of Commons and an open question period for all MPs.
The Conservative MP, first elected in 2004, has been weighing in on the lack of decorum and blames the inaccessibility of MPs to speak openly on issues during the afternoon question period when the house is in session.
In 2010 Chong introduced a proposal to reform question period with a plan to restore the right of MPs to ask questions of the government on behalf of their constituents.
“The right to ask questions was taken away from MPs about 30 years ago,” Chong said in a telephone interview with the Advertiser.
“In other words, MPs no longer have the right to participate in question period and are mere spectators in their own House of Commons. The party leaders control who gets to ask and answer questions.
“By restoring the right to question the government, MPs would be restored as true participants in question period, rather than mere spectators. This, in turn, would make question period more meaningful to members and improve decorum,” he added.
When he introduced the proposal in 2010 it was passed by an overwhelming majority of MPs in October of that year.
“Since then, it has languished in the Procedure and House Affairs Committee, which has been tasked with putting the proposal in effect. The party leaders control this committee through their (party) whips.”
Chong said the procedure in place now sees questions regulated by the party leaders and screened before coming up in the House. According to him the questions often reflect issues the parties want brought up as part of their own agenda for maximum media coverage.
“The questions and answers are being scripted by the house party leaders,” he said.
He added the process prevents MPs from “bringing local issues to the national stage.”
Chong points to the controversy surrounding a recent mega quarry planned in the Shelburne area that was subsequently abandoned by its owners due to public outcry.
He says that under the current procedure the issue never made it to question period in the House of Commons.
“Not once did the opposition or government answer a question,” he said of the procedure that doesn’t allow for local issues to be brought up. “Those are the kinds of things that are not being asked today that should be asked.”
Chong said opening up question period would allow more MPs to bring up issues from across the country rather than the 30 or so MPs who regularly debate the issues brought to the table during question period.
Chong believes more participation by MPs would improve decorum in the house and decrease the amount of heckling that goes on when questions are known beforehand.
