When an MP speaks

When a Member of Parliament stands up in the House of Commons to make a statement or respond in debate, it looks very straightforward. There’s nothing straightforward about it.

First, I want to tell you about two technical services provided by House of Commons staff that you might not know about and will never see.

The first one is the audio control "prow." Each seat in the House of Commons has a microphone and an indicator light. The microphone is only activated when the audio technicians in the "prow" turn it on.

High above the seats in the Chamber of the House of Commons sit two audio technicians in front of a control panel which is laid out like the seats in the House of Commons. From their vantage point, they can see every seat in the house.

For each seat on the control panel, there is a button that represents a seat in the chamber. When the Speaker indicates that an MP can speak, the two audio techs on the prow must find that person quickly and push the button on the panel which turns on the MP’s microphone. This button also turns on the MP indicator light, as well as the light on the control panel and a light in the TV studio. The MP indicator light informs the MP that his microphone is on.

The second technical service is the TV studio itself. Even higher than the prow is a fully equipped TV broadcast studio. There are six cameras covering the Chamber. The cameras are controlled by operators in the TV studio using joysticks. The seventh camera is dedicated to focusing on the Speaker. The studio manages all of the TV and radio broadcasting that we see and hear at home.

On the back wall of the TV studio, about eight television screens display the camera feeds. Each camera has its own screen, while a larger one shows the live broadcast feed.

There is a control panel in the TV studio room just like the one on the prow, with lights corresponding to each MP's seat. When the audio team in the prow presses a button to activate a microphone, the corresponding light in the TV studio illuminates. This alerts the studio operators where to aim the cameras. The camera operators cannot see the Chamber and are guided by the audio techs in the prow who can see the Chamber. Typically, one or two cameras will focus on the MP speaking, and the director selects the best angle for broadcast.

Meanwhile, another person in the studio works quickly to identify the MP's name and party affiliation to display at the bottom of the screen. They also display the "motion" or "bill" being debated. This information must be in English for the English channels and in French for the French channels. This happens seamlessly and at lightning speed.

During regular debates, speeches might last 10 or 20 minutes, depending on the rules. However, during Question Period, both questions and answers are strictly limited to 35 seconds. The prow team must swiftly identify the MP asking the question, activate the microphone and lights, and signal the camera operators to locate the MP. Once the question is done, they must quickly find the minister who will then answer the question.

However, between the question and answer, the Speaker stands to recognize the minister who will answer the question. At that moment, all microphones and lights are turned off except for the Speaker's, and a dedicated camera focuses on the Speaker for a few seconds. Then, instantly, a camera is back on the minister for a 35-second response. And then it starts all over again.

When I was first elected in 1988, the questions in Question Period could go on for one or two full minutes, and the answers could be the same. This reduced the number of questions each day, and some questions were virtual speeches, not questions. Subsequently, all parties agreed to restrict questions to 35 seconds and answers to 35 seconds. It made a huge difference.

Meanwhile, the House of Commons Clerks at the table in front of the Speaker start a timer whenever an MP begins to speak. Both the Clerks and the Speaker have screens that show how much time the MP has left. The Speaker's large screen is hidden at his feet. When the 35 seconds are up, the Speaker stands, whether the MP is finished or not, and the MP's microphone is shut off.

I noted on the first day of the new Parliament, even the new Prime Minister went over his 35 seconds, and sure enough, his microphone was cut off.

At the same time, translators in booths at the back corners of the Chamber are hard at work. Every English word spoken is translated into French, and every French word spoken is translated into English. The TV studio ensures that the English broadcasts contain English and the French broadcasts contain French. This applies to radio as well.

Every desk in the House of Commons is equipped with a translation system. MPs have earphones and a switch to choose between English and French translation.

All of this coordination requires skilled and experienced people in the prow, the TV studio, the Clerk's table, and the translation booths. When a Member of Parliament rises to speak, it likely takes at least eight people behind the scenes to make sure the MP can be heard, and that everyone across Canada can listen in both official languages.

To me, it seems almost like an impossible system… but it rarely fails. It is anything but straightforward.

So next time you watch an MP stand up and speak, remember the incredible activity happening behind the scenes that makes it all possible — in both of Canada's official languages.

A nice virtual tour of the House of Commons can be found at Virtual Tour — House of Commons of Canada.

In the photo attached, the audio control "prow" can be seen above the white clock at the door end of the Chamber.

Thanks for reading,

Bill