Calgary woman’s petition to scrap changes to House rules catches on
Thousands of Canadians have put their names on a petition launched by a Calgary woman calling for the Liberal government to scrap proposed changes to the way business is handled in the House of Commons.
On March 10, the Liberals put forward a discussion paper outlining possible changes to Standing Orders in the House of Commons, including eliminating Friday sittings and reducing the number of days the prime minister is available to answer questions.
Started by Calgarian Kerri Frank and sponsored by Calgary Nose Hill MP Michelle Rempel, the petition had drawn more than 14,000 signatures as of Saturday afternoon.
“Obviously, this one is a nobrainer given the fact that I think this is a non-partisan issue,” Rempel said. “And that’s why it’s got so much traction — it’s not really about Conservative or Liberal or NDP, it’s about the way in which we form legislation in Canada.”
Current rules state the prime minister is required to take questions five days a week during Question Period, but the proposed changes could see Friday sessions cancelled and limit questions to the prime minister to once a week.
“When the PM’s in the House, there’s a news cycle around being held to account ... to lose the ability to ask the PM a question on the other four days a week, it’s a huge problem,” Rempel said.
Frank said she started the petition out of frustrations with the Liberals attempting to make changes to the parliamentary process without consent from all parties.
“As a working woman raising children, (the prime minister) eliminating the Friday sessions and showing up for his hour or 45 minutes once a week, I think that’s a big one,” Frank said, adding Trudeau “shouldn’t have taken the job” if attending Question Period isn’t what the prime Minister “wanted to sign up for.”
Along with cutting back questions to the prime minister and eliminating Friday sessions, the proposed changes could see the introduction of electronic voting by MPs instead of standing one by one to cast votes, allow the Speaker to split omnibus bills to be voted on individually, and putting restrictions on MPs’ ability to filibuster committees.
“That’s what this petition is asking for, it’s saying to the government, ‘You shouldn’t be ramming anything through ... without unanimity from the parties,’ and I think that’s a very reasonable request,” Rempel said.
The discussion paper states the changes are intended to “make Parliament more relevant, transparent and accountable to Canadians.” But Rempel said the new rules would be “politically advantageous” for the Liberals by limiting debate in the House and hurting the opposition’s ability to scrutinize the sitting government.
Rempel called the proposed changes “disingenuous” and an attempt to “deflect” from the federal budget projecting a $28.5-billion deficit for 2017.
“I can tell you right now, if the government is going to disrespect the Parliament this way ... it’s our job to oppose Justin Trudeau, and that’s what I will continue to do and so will my colleagues from all other political stripes.”