My comments come in the wake of Ms. Black’s. I have been here for 13 years and I find that as time goes on, it is getting harder and harder for visitors to hear anything, especially during Question Period. Whether it is someone from our ridings, members of our families or friends, they describe it as a joke or a circus, and I could add several other negative terms. I find it a shame. We work very hard and this single one-hour representation discredits us and devalues our work. I am one of those who believe that things must change.
When the Speaker rises and says “Order”, the members are so used to hearing him that they no longer obey. They simply shrug off the Speaker. When I first got here, I was told that when the Speaker rose, everyone had to shut up and sit down. Now people stand up, they remain standing and they keep on shouting. I find that there is now some laxness in people’s behaviour. I have seen a Speaker who, after saying “Order” twice without managing to quiet the bedlam, remained standing until everyone sat down and calmed themselves.
When the Speaker is standing during Question Period, the clock is ticking and time is being lost. Can he really remain standing for 15 or 20 minutes, until calm returns? Does he really have that power?