I don't want to interpret what the Speaker said. Perhaps he considered that political parties, the NDP and the Conservatives, had suggested that one person might ask more questions.
I don't think that in this case the independent members sat together and got one question for the three of them. They are not associated. They are independent members and by definition, being independent means working alone.
I think that the Speaker himself decided, with all due respect to him, on such an interpretation, because a political party already benefits from a certain amount of recognition, even if it is not recognized as such, as Mr. Hill said. However, by definition, an independent sits alone. So there was no need to put them together. However, that's what he did. The whips could discuss this further.