The Daily Program / Routine Proceedings

Questions on the Order Paper: failure of the Government to respond deemed referred to standing committees pursuant to Standing Order

January 28, 2002

Debates, pp. 8335-6

On January 28, 2002, Guy St-Julien (Abitibi–Baie-James–Nunavik) rose on a point of order to express concern that the time limit for obtaining a response to questions Q-81 and Q-82, standing in his name, had expired. He asked, in light of the new Standing Order governing written questions, whether the questions would be answered that day or whether they would be referred to the House or to the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs, Northern Development and Natural Resources.

The Speaker ruled immediately. He informed the House that there was a new Standing Order in effect concerning these matters. He stated that, therefore, pursuant to Standing Order 39(5), the failure of the Government to respond to questions Q-81 and Q-82, as well as Q-85, Q-86, Q-90, Q-91, Q-92, Q-93, Q-94, Q-96, Q-97, Q-98 and Q-99 had been deemed referred to various standing committees of the House.^[1]

Decision of the Chair

The Speaker: Before I deal with the hon. Member for Pictou–Antigonish–Guysborough perhaps he will want to hear what the Chair has to say because there is a new Standing Order in effect in relation to these matters. Perhaps after hearing it I will have disposed of the point of order of the hon. Member for Abitibi–Baie-James–Nunavik as well as what I anticipate is one from the hon. Member for Pictou–Antigonish–Guysborough.

Pursuant to Standing Order 39(5), it is my duty to inform the House that the failure of the Government to respond to the following questions on the Order paper is deemed referred to the various standing committees of the House as follows: Questions Nos. 81 and 82, standing in the name of the hon. Member for Abitibi–Baie-James–Nunavik, are referred to the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs, Northern Development and Natural Resources.

Question No. 85, standing in the name of the hon. Member for North Vancouver, will be referred to the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology; Question No. 86, standing in the name of the hon. Member for Esquimalt–Juan de Fuca, to the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade; Questions Nos. 90, 91, 92 and 93, standing in the name of the hon. Member for Vancouver East, to the Standing Committee on Transport and Government Operations; Question No. 94, standing in the name of the hon. Member for Edmonton Centre-East, to the Standing Committee on Transport and Government Operations; Question No. 96, standing in the name of the hon. Member for South Shore, to the Standing Committee on Finance; Question No. 97, standing in the name of the hon Member for Sackville–Musquodoboit Valley–Eastern Shore, to the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development; and Question No. 98, standing in the name of the hon. Member for Yorkton–Melville, to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

Finally, Question No. 99, standing in the name of the hon. Member for Saskatoon–Rosetown–Biggar, is referred to the Standing Committee on Transport and Government Operations.

This was the first time, since amendments were made to the Standing Orders pursuant to the adoption of the Report of the Special Committee on Modernization and the Improvement of the Procedures of the House of Commons in October of 2001 that this new procedure was invoked. The new rules provide for the referral of the matter of the failure of the Government to respond to a written question to an appropriate standing committee once the 45-day period has elapsed.