B.C. Liberals plan legislature question period move to morning from afternoon

VICTORIA – B.C.’s Liberal house leader says he’s planning a time change for the daily 30-minute question period when the provincial legislature resumes sitting next week.

Mike de Jong says he’ll introduce a motion would move question periods on Tuesday and Thursdays to 10 a.m., instead of the current start time of 1:30 in the afternoon.

He says he plans to keep Monday and Wednesday question periods in the afternoon.

Question period is the time allotted for the Opposition to question the government on issues of the day, and it frequently results in pointed questions, frank exchanges and often highly charged debate that at times borders on theatrical.

De Jong says other legislatures in Canada have moved to morning question periods and the primary reaction has been that politicians have more time to explore the issues of question period and devote more of their time to other daily issues.

The Opposition NDP says it is preparing a response to the proposed time change, while de Jong acknowledges the New Democrats do not appear overly enthusiastic about the change.