If there are three or four independent members in the House, the Speaker has the discretionary authority to allow them to ask two questions each week. I do not want to take this privilege away from the Speaker, in the Standing Orders. It is then up to him to decide, among the independents, who will be allowed to ask the questions, but we are saying that any one member will not be able to ask two questions.
The Speaker could authorize Ms. Thibault to ask a question on the Monday, and again on the following Monday, if he so desires. That is not my concern: that is up to the Speaker to decide. However, the member would not be able to ask two questions during the same week. That is what the Standing Orders should establish. And I believe that we have agreed on that.
We are not going to start asking the Speaker if he has examined the list to see who came first and telling him that he can allow a member to ask a question on the Monday, but that given that the other member did not ask to be recognized, he or she will have to wait until the Thursday. Independent members have the right to ask two questions. But they will not have two questions in one and the same week. We have agreed on that.