Jason Kenney Wants MPs To Stop Clapping To Improve Decorum | HuffPost

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The veteran Tory wants MPs to cool it, thanks.

Ryan Maloney— The Huffington Post Canada

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A veteran Conservative MP thinks a lot more could get accomplished if members of Parliament would just hold their applause.

As Parliament resumed Thursday with talk of improving decorum, Jason Kenney took to Twitter with a "modest proposal" for reform — banning members from clapping in the House of Commons.

"Thoughtful debate does not need constant standing ovations," he wrote.

Kenney also flagged that there's a long-standing rule against applause in the British Parliament and suggested such a change would "turn down the volume" and reduce partisanship in Ottawa.

A reporter quickly pointed out that Kenney, a former senior cabinet minister in Stephen Harper's government, often applauded in the House. Kenney responded that while that's "the current practice," he'd still like to see a change.

Jason Kenney speaks during question period in the House of Commons. (Photo: Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

In September, members of Quebec's national assembly voted unanimously to stop the practice of applauding during question period. The change allows more time for questions to be asked.

New Speaker: 'I will not tolerate heckling'

Kenney made no mention, however, of heckling — something Geoff Regan, the newly elected Speaker of the House of Commons, told MPs he would not stand.

"I will not tolerate heckling," Regan said shortly after winning the coveted post. "We don't need it. We will not tolerate unparliamentary conduct."

The remark immediately sparked some jeers and, well, heckles.

The veteran Liberal MP spoke about elevating the "tone" in the House to reconstitute decorum.

"Mutual respect, despite our differences, is essential," he said.

Regan even urged members to think of the 116,000 Canadian soldiers buried overseas who "fought so that we could hear, speak freely and express our different opinions."

"Let us here resolve to conduct ourselves in this place, that we might be worthy of the sacrifices they made.''

"Thoughtful debate does not need constant standing ovations."
— Jason Kenney

Justin Trudeau struck much the same tone in his first speech to the House as prime minister. He said he had confidence Regan will promote respect and "thoughtful debate between members" on both sides of the Commons.

"Moving forward, I know that is important that we have constructive debates in this place on issues that Canadians have told us matter to them," Trudeau said, adding that his government aims to bring reforms to question period.

Question period set to change

Liberals pledged in their platform to give the Speaker more power to sanction members and allow more time for debate. The party also said it would look at ways to make question period more relevant, "including the use of online technologies."

Liberals intend to introduce a "prime minister's question period" — similar to the process in Britain in which the PM spends 30 minutes, once a week, answering questions from MPs, including those in his or her own backbench.

On the campaign trail in October, the Huffington Post Canada's Althia Raj asked Trudeau if that indicates he would be frequently absent from question period. When he wasn't travelling or on other business, Harper typically attended question period three times a week. The former prime minister usually reserved his responses to questions from party leaders.

Trudeau did not promise at the time that he would be present in the Commons at least three times a week to answer questions.

"I'm not going to make commitments about staying away from Canadians," Trudeau said. "One of the things that is extremely important for prime ministers is to stay connected to the people that they're serving."

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Canada's Parliament Returns

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau receives applause from the bench after speaking in the House of Commons. (credit:Adrian Wyld/CP)

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The ceremonial mace, a symbol of authority of the Monarch, rests on the clerk's table as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks in the House of Commons. (credit:Adrian Wyld/CP)

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Interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose speaks in response to the Liberal throne speech. (credit:Adrian Wyld/CP)

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gives the thumbs up to the member of the audience as he waits for the speech from the throne. (credit:Sean Kilpatrick/CP)

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gives the thumbs up to a member of the audience at the start of the speech from the throne. (credit:Sean Kilpatrick/CP)

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Governor General David Johnston delivers the speech from the throne in the Senate Chamber. (credit:Sean Kilpatrick/CP)

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Former prime ministers Joe Clark, John Turner and Jean Chretien wait for the speech from the throne to be delivered. (credit:Sean Kilpatrick/CP)

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with the Chief of Defence Minister Staff Jonathan Vance. (credit:Sean Kilpatrick/CP)

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Governor General David Johnston chats with his wife Sharon Johnston prior to the Speech from the Throne in the Senate Chamber on Parliament Hill. (credit:Sean Kilpatrick/CP)

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau chats with Governor General David Johnston as Sharon Johnston looks on before the start of the Speech from the Throne in the Senate Chamber. (credit:Sean Kilpatrick/CP)

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Governor General David Johnston inspects the honour guard before delivering the speech from the throne. (credit:Justin Tang/CP)

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Governor General David Johnston, Sharon Johnston, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau listen to a aboriginal drummer David Charette as they stand in the rotunda before the speech from the throne. (credit:Fred Chartrand/CP)

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau speaks with the Usher of the Black Rod Greg Peters as they wait for the arrival of the Governor General David Johnston for the speech from the throne. (credit:Fred Chartrand/CP)

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Former prime minister and Conservative MP Stephen Harper poses for a photo with a fellow MP after voting for a new Speaker of the House of Commons. (credit:Sean Kilpatrick/CP)

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivers his congratulatory speech to newly-elected Speaker of the House Geoff Regan in the House of Commons. (credit:Sean Kilpatrick/CP)

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A view from the Conservative benches. (credit:Sean Kilpatrick/CP)

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sits with members of his cabinet. (credit:Sean Kilpatrick/CP)

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Newly-elected Speaker of the House Geoff Regan jokingly resists as he's escorted to the speakers chair by Conservative interim leader Rona Ambrose and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. (credit:Sean Kilpatrick/CP)

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Newly-elected Speaker of the House Geoff Regan delivers his acceptance speech from the Speaker's chair in the House of Commons. (credit:Sean Kilpatrick/CP)

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau folds his ballot as he makes his way to cast his vote for a new Speaker of the House of Commons. (credit:Sean Kilpatrick/CP)

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Liberal MP Geoff Regan delivers a speech prior to the vote for the election of a new Speaker of the House of Commons. Regan won the honour. (credit:Sean Kilpatrick/CP)

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Liberal MP Denis Paradis delivers a speech prior to the vote for the election of a new House Speaker. (credit:Sean Kilpatrick/CP)

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Former prime minister and Conservative MP Stephen Harper shares a laugh with fellow MPs. (credit:Sean Kilpatrick/CP)

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives to the House of Commons on Parliament Hill. (credit:Sean Kilpatrick/CP)

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NDP MP Christine Moore holds her daughter Daphnee as she takes part in voting for a new Speaker of the House of Commons. (credit:Sean Kilpatrick/CP)

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An Official Residence Called 'The Farm'(28 of64)

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An Apartment On Parliament Hill(29 of64)

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See?(30 of64)

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A Driver And $1,000 Car Allowance(31 of64)

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An Office Budget Of $414 Million(32 of64)

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5th In Order Of Ceremonial Precedence(33 of64)

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