Prime Minister attendance at Question Period

AI summary

Petitioners ask the Prime Minister to attend Question Period weekly and to answer fully and truthfully all MPs’ questions. The government responds that he has appeared more than weekly and ministers answer when absent.

AI summaries describe petitioners’ requests and claims. Consult the official record for the full text.

Official petition

Petition to the Prime Minister The daily House of Commons Question Period is a vital component of the Canadian Parliamentary system that is intended to provide clarity, transparency, and accountability to Canadian taxpayers; Previous Prime Ministers attended Question Period on a regular basis, answering questions posed by Opposition Members on behalf of Canadians; and The current Prime Minister must be held to account for his government’s policies and decisions. We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Prime Minister to: 1. Attend Question Period on a regular, weekly basis; and 2. Wholly and truthfully answer questions from the Leader of the Official Opposition and all Members of Parliament while in the House of Commons.

Government response

Response by the Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons Signed by Kevin Lamoureux In our system of government, Parliament is both the legislative branch and the pre-eminent institution of democratic accountability. Clear ministerial accountability to Parliament is fundamental to responsible government and requires that Ministers provide Parliament with the information it needs to fulfill its roles of legislating, approving the appropriation of funds, and holding the government to account. Under responsible government, Ministers exercise executive authority on the basis that they have the confidence of Parliament, which requires that they, and through them the officials under their management and direction, be accountable to Parliament for their actions. As the petition notes, the House of Commons Question Period is a vital component of Canada’s Parliamentary system of government. All Ministers are responsible to Parliament, which includes responding to questions on their files during Question Period in the House of Commons. In the context of their accountability to Parliament, Ministers are required to answer parliamentary questions within their areas of authority and to correct any error at the earliest opportunity. If a Minister is unavoidably absent, a designated Minister or Parliamentary Secretary answers on their behalf. Parliament has also provided mechanisms for members to request further information from Ministers should the member remain unsatisfied with the answers given. The Prime Minister is leading Canada during a critical period of unprecedented change. In his first year in office, he has set out on an ambitious path to build a stronger, more independent, more competitive, economy, including by strengthening Canada’s trading relationships, building major projects, and making generational investments to empower Canadian workers. During this time, the Prime Minister has participated in Question Period on more than a weekly basis, supported by a strong team of ministers who participate every day. He has taken a collaborative approach, including meeting with the leaders of all parties to discuss shared legislative priorities.