Introduce a Prime Minister’s Question Period.

No rule change, but PM Trudeau will continue solo question periods

CTV News June 15, 2017

The federal government is backing down on its plan to change the rules of the House to create a formal prime minister's question period.

Government House Leader Bardish Chagger will give notice Thursday night of her proposed changes to the House standing orders, the term for the rules that govern the chamber. They don't include the proposal made months ago that the prime minister have one question period a week where the head of government alone takes questions from MPs.

Chagger's spokesman says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, however, will continue to spend one question period a week responding to all the questions.

Although the Justin Trudeau has been answering question as Prime Minister on a regular basis since being elected, he has done so as part of what is viewed as a newly established "convention", but since that practice was not put in the House standing orders, it is non-binding.

Changes to question period could put the prime minister on the spot

CBC News December 09, 2015

Justin Trudeau's first week of question period as prime minister may be his only one, as the Liberals propose to change the format in which the prime minister is asked questions in the House of Commons.

The Liberals campaigned to introduce a "prime minister's question period" modelled in part on the current practice of the British House of Commons. This commitment was reiterated in question period on Monday.

"I have asked the government House leader [Dominic LeBlanc] to work with other parliamentarians," Trudeau said in response to a question from Liberal MP Larry Bagnell, "to reform question period so that all ministers, including the prime minister, can be held to greater account. "I look forward to participating in prime minister's question period some time in the future."