Weekly Business Statement
Each Thursday, after Question Period, the Speaker recognizes the House Leader of the Official Opposition, or
his or her representative, to ask the Government House Leader, or his or her representative, about the
government business to be considered by the House in the succeeding days or week. The Government House
Leader then proceeds to outline for the House what business the government intends to bring forward. [347]
This practice is commonly known as the “Business Statement” or the “Thursday Statement”.
The weekly business statement is not referred to in the Standing Orders but is permitted subject to the
discretion of the Chair, the government being under no procedural obligation to announce to the House in
advance which items of business it intends to call or when. [348]
Furthermore, the government is not bound by anything said in the weekly business statement. [349]
The weekly business statement was inaugurated on September 23, 1968, when the then President of the Privy
Council, in announcing the business the government intended to call the following day, stated that a new
practice would begin whereby on every Thursday the government would outline its intentions for the
forthcoming week and then respond to questions. [350]
Prior to this, it had been the custom of the Government House Leader to announce, at the close of each
sitting day, the business to be considered the next day. [351]
The Chair has stressed on many occasions that the time provided for this statement should not be used by
Members as an opportunity to engage in negotiations or debate. [352]
The Chair has also not been inclined to consider the question of House business at any time other than on
a Thursday during a week of regularly scheduled sittings. [353]
On occasion, the Government House Leader has used this period to request the unanimous consent of the House
to propose, without notice, motions related to the business of the House. [354]