The Daily Program / Daily Proceedings
Oral Questions: administrative responsibility of the Government; Speaker’s statement regarding questions about the transfer of election campaign funds
Debates, p. 8562
Context
On October 7, 2005, the Speaker made a brief statement with respect to questions posed during that day’s Oral Questions on the subject of the transfer of funds from election campaigns to other places.[1] He stated that the questions should have been ruled out of order as they concerned matters which were not within the administrative responsibility of the Government.
Statement of the Chair
The Speaker: Before we proceed, I want to indicate one reservation the Chair had about proceedings in Question Period today. There were questions concerning what appear to be transfers of funds from campaigns to other places. I know that the Deputy Government House Leader jumped up to answer these questions. In my view, questions concerning election expenses and election moneys are not within the administrative purview of the Government.
I am sorry that I did not jump on the question when it was asked. I did not and I realized as I sat here thinking of it afterward that I had failed to do so. I want to make sure Members know that such questions are out of order. Questions in Question Period must deal with the administrative responsibilities of the Government, and the administration of the election law is not part of the administrative responsibility of the Government. Accordingly, questions on that score are out of order.
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[1] Debates, October 7, 2005, pp. 8557-8.