Tory MP gets boost from advocacy group in quest for decorum

Posted on Thursday, October 28, 2010 11:22AM EDT47 comments

A group of Canadians who say they are embarrassed and insulted by the antics in the House of Commons have launched a campaign in support of a motion by Conservative MP Michael Chong that aims to make the daily Question Period more functional and less hostile.

Mr. Chong is appearing Thursday before the Commons Committee on procedure and House affairs where he will outline his proposals.

At the same time, a non-partisan group called Canadians Advocating Political Participation just launched an online petition to inform Canadians and to help them have their say.

The petition is the first part of a four-phase campaign that CAPP chapters say they will use to engage the media and ordinary Canadians with local MPs and put forward ideas to pressure politicians to make Question Period even stronger.

“The goal of the campaign is to build pan-Canadian support for a strong Question Period reform motion to come out of this committee,” Glyn Lewis, the eastern co-ordinator for CAPP said in telephone interview.

“I think that the lack of civility is an affront to our national conversation and I think that the broken discourse in the House of Commons has turned a lot of people off from following the issues. And if you are not following the issues, how can you be engaged in the democratic process?”

Mr. Chong’s proposal, Motion 517, says the Commons should:

» Elevate decorum and fortify the use of discipline by the Speaker;

» Lengthen the amount of time given for each question and answer;

» Require that ministers respond to questions directed at them;

» Allocate half the questions each day for backbench members;

» Dedicate Wednesday exclusively for questions to the Prime Minister;

» Dedicate the rest of the week for questions to ministers other than the Prime Minister.

The committee has six months before it is required to report back to the House with recommended changes.

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