Question Period or Oral Questions is a Canadian parliamentary practice similar to the British Prime Minister's Questions in which Members of Parliament submit questions to the government ministers including the Prime Minister for answer. It lasts 45 minutes pursuant to Standing Order 30(5): "Not later than 2:15 o'clock p.m., or 11:15 o'clock a.m., as the case may be, oral questions shall be taken up."
Question period has a reputation for being quite chaotic, but in actuality it is very tightly-regulated. Parties are only allowed to ask a predetermined number of questions based on the size of their caucus, and must ask their questions in a specific order, predetermined by their party leadership for that day on a list given to the Speaker. Questions and responses are all timed as well, in order to prevent excessive speeches.
Each of the provincial legislatures also conducts its own form of question period.
Prime Minister's Questions, or regarded more officially as Questions to the Prime Minister, is a Parliamentary practice, by unofficial law, in the United Kingdom where every Wednesday when the House of Commons is sitting, the Prime Minister spends half an hour answering questions from Members of Parliament ("MPs").
In Canada this constitutional convention is known as QuestionPeriod and occurs both in the federal Parliament and in the provincial legislatures.
The only question that the Prime Minister had to answer personally was his/her list of engagements for the week; hence he/she is asked this question first, and all subsequent questions are follow up questions, forcing the Prime Minister to answer the questions his or herself.
Questionperiod is part of the routine business in Parliament where members of Parliament direct questions to the government to account for its actions and get information.
Questions are generally directed at cabinet ministers or the prime minister, who are not obligated to answer or explain their refusal to answer.
If MPs are not satisfied with answers given during questionperiod, or if their question was ruled out by the Speaker because it was not urgent, they can discuss the matter in the adjournment proceedings at the end of the day.
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