Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It is no surprise to you, Mr. Speaker, that the level of noise and heckling in the last part of question period was a violation of Parliament’s rules. I do not want to belabour the point, but I cannot even continue with this point of order because of the noise in this place.
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Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
The Speaker: Order. What the hon. member’s point is referring to is some of the noise that rises from time to time in question period. Being at this end of the Chamber, I do my best to encourage members, without interrupting the flow of question period too much, to come to order, so I take her point very well.
I will take this opportunity to ask all hon. members to refrain from applause and outbursts while members are trying to put the question, and likewise, as well, while they are trying to answer it.
The hon. member for Saanich—Gulf Islands.
Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, it is not just the applause. The rules are very clear. Standing Order 16.2 states, “When a Member is speaking, no Member shall…interrupt him or her, except to raise a point of order”.
Standing Order 18 states that no member shall speak disrespectfully of other members in this place.
One would think there were no standing orders. One would think that this was—