Yes, I’d say that he does. In the past, there have been long interruptions. It has even happened that work was suspended for 20 minutes, until the House came to its senses, so to speak. The fact is that in a debate, after 3:30 p.m., it’s less serious. During Question Period, delays caused by the Speaker have consequences, and it’s often the third or fourth parties that pay the price. It should also be noted that it’s to the government’s advantage, because there is less time and therefore fewer questions.
In the early 1990s, Mr. Fraser would add five to seven minutes to Question Period because he found that ovations of the Prime Minister were excessive. I should add that the House leader at the time—I won’t name him because he’s still a good friend—would get away with murder when it came to questions of order and private interventions.
As for the control that a Speaker can exercise, that’s another story. I agree with you that it is too bad that all the attention is focused on that one hour. It tarnishes the debates and especially the work being done by members on committees. Be that as it may, it is difficult for the Speaker to remain standing for 15 minutes during Question Period.