Prime Minister Question Period attendance
Petitioners ask the Prime Minister to attend Question Period weekly and truthfully answer questions from the Official Opposition leader and all MPs. The government responds that ministers are accountable and the Prime Minister attends regularly.
Why we would sign this petition
- It would require the Prime Minister to appear weekly and answer questions directly, increasing direct accountability to Parliament.
- Regular, public questioning could improve transparency and help taxpayers assess government decisions.
- Allowing the Opposition and MPs to question the Prime Minister directly strengthens parliamentary scrutiny of government policy.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- The Prime Minister may have duties that make weekly attendance impractical; delegated ministers or parliamentary secretaries can answer in his stead.
- Mandating weekly attendance could divert time from executive responsibilities and negotiations, creating trade-offs with governance priorities.
- Parliament already has mechanisms for ministerial accountability and follow-up information requests, so the petition may duplicate existing processes.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
Petition to the Prime Minister The daily House of Commons Question Period is a vital component of the Canadian Parliamentary system that is intended to provide clarity, transparency, and accountability to Canadian taxpayers; Previous Prime Ministers attended Question Period on a regular basis, answering questions posed by Opposition Members on behalf of Canadians; and The current Prime Minister must be held to account for his government’s policies and decisions. We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Prime Minister to: 1. Attend Question Period on a regular, weekly basis; and 2. Wholly and truthfully answer questions from the Leader of the Official Opposition and all Members of Parliament while in the House of Commons.
Government response
Response by the Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons Signed by Kevin Lamoureux In our system of government, Parliament is both the legislative branch and the pre-eminent institution of democratic accountability. Clear ministerial accountability to Parliament is fundamental to responsible government and requires that Ministers provide Parliament with the information it needs to fulfill its roles of legislating, approving the appropriation of funds, and holding the government to account. Under responsible government, Ministers exercise executive authority on the basis that they have the confidence of Parliament, which requires that they, and through them the officials under their management and direction, be accountable to Parliament for their actions. As the petition notes, the House of Commons Question Period is a vital component of Canada’s Parliamentary system of government. All Ministers are responsible to Parliament, which includes responding to questions on their files during Question Period in the House of Commons. In the context of their accountability to Parliament, Ministers are required to answer parliamentary questions within their areas of authority and to correct any error at the earliest opportunity. If a Minister is unavoidably absent, a designated Minister or Parliamentary Secretary answers on their behalf. Parliament has also provided mechanisms for members to request further information from Ministers should the member remain unsatisfied with the answers given. The Prime Minister is leading Canada during a critical period of unprecedented change. In his first year in office, he has set out on an ambitious path to build a stronger, more independent, more competitive, economy, including by strengthening Canada’s trading relationships, building major projects, and making generational investments to empower Canadian workers. During this time, the Prime Minister has participated in Question Period on more than a weekly basis, supported by a strong team of ministers who participate every day. He has taken a collaborative approach, including meeting with the leaders of all parties to discuss shared legislative priorities.