Addendum
YUKON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
GUIDELINES FOR ORAL QUESTION PERIOD
General Statement
A question seeking information about a matter which falls within the administrative responsibility of the Government of Yukon is in order. An answer which provides information sought through a question is in order.
Specific Rules
1. A question ought to address a matter of public importance.
2. A question ought to seek information and cannot be based on a hypothesis or seek an opinion, legal or otherwise. It must not suggest its own answer or be argumentative.
3. A question asking for a specific statement of government policy is in order. A question which seeks an opinion about government policy is out of order. A question which asks the Premier if a statement made outside the House by a Minister conforms with government policy is in order.
4. A question must relate to a matter within the administrative responsibility of the Government of Yukon. A Minister to whom a question is directed is responsible only for his or her present portfolio.
5. A question may not ask for a legal interpretation of a statute.
6. Each member asking a question which is in order shall be allowed two supplementary questions.
7. A brief preamble will be allowed in the case of the main question and a one-sentence preamble will be allowed in the case of each supplementary question.1 A repeat of a question that a Minister did not hear does not constitute a supplementary.
8. A question must adhere to the proprieties of the House in that it must not contain inferences, impute motives or cast aspersions upon persons within the House or out of it.
9. A reply to a question should be as brief as possible, relevant to the question asked, and should not provoke debate.
10. A Minister may decline to answer a question without stating the reason for his or her refusal. Insistence on an answer is out of order. A refusal to answer cannot be raised as the basis of a question of privilege.
11. A question is out of order if it deals with a matter that is before a court. In civil matters, however, this restriction will not apply unless and until the matter is at trial.
12. A question is out of order if it seeks information about matters which are in their nature secret such as the proceedings of Cabinet. It is, however, in order to ask if a certain matter has been considered by Cabinet.
13. A question is out of order if it seeks information from the Chair of a Committee about proceedings in a Committee which has not yet made its report to the House but is in order if it asks only if the Committee has considered a certain matter, when the Committee will next meet, or when a Committee report will be tabled in the House.
14. A question addressed to the Speaker is out of order.
15. In all cases not provided for within these guidelines, the usages and customs of the House of Commons of Canada, as in force at the time, shall be followed.
1 Over the years a practice has developed whereby Speakers will allow questions up to approximately on minute in length, and responses of approximately one and one-half minutes. Speakers reserve the discretion to depart from this practice from time to time should the circumstances warrant.
Adopted April 13, 1983
Revised October 25, 2001
Revised April 4, 2002