Foreign Affairs Committee on Nov. 5th, 2009

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

On my point of order on this motion that—

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

There is no debate on the motion.

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

I am asking for clarification.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Okay. It's a point of clarification. Good.

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

On a point of clarification on this...can I ask that question? All right. Thank you. If this motion that was put forward by the Bloc says we have a motion to adjourn this meeting—

[An hon. member]

No, to suspend.

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

To suspend this meeting, which in turn.... Does it mean we go back to the committee business you proposed at the beginning of this meeting?

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

That is a very good point of clarification.

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Would you tell the Liberal critic over there not to yap while I'm talking?

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

The point is this. Mr. Obhrai raises a very good point. We made a commitment to Madame Lalonde for committee business, but in her motion to adjourn debate, she has suggested we go to questions of the witnesses.

Madame Lalonde, are you then waiving that committee business on your motion that we had committed to?

[Francine Lalonde, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Oh, wow.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Are we adjourning—

[Francine Lalonde, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Mr. Chair, I think people are taking things too far here.

I duly tabled a motion which was debated twice, but because of the points of clarification which kept piling up, we have never been able to vote on it. We were supposed to begin doing so at 20 minutes to the hour, except that as of 10:15, our colleagues opposite who, I must admit, were very well prepared, took up a great deal of time. So that means I lose the right to introduce this motion? That is absurd.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

No.

[Francine Lalonde, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

I do not agree that I should not be allowed to come back to my motion, but I can introduce it when we come back from the House.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Today.

Your motion is still in order, but what we're saying is that if we adjourn debate here.... You've asked that we be able to entertain questions to the witnesses—

[Francine Lalonde, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

But what I am saying is that because of the time, we will not get to your motion today.

[Francine Lalonde, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

We will go nowhere, as I see.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Your motion is still in order, and it's still on the order paper for us to hear.

[Francine Lalonde, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Yes, that's right.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Mr. Patry.

[Bernard Patry, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

Mr. Chair,

I just want a point of clarification following Mr. Obhrai's comments. If we continue until 11 today, what is going to happen at the next meeting? Will it be finished today, or will we start again with Bill C-300 at the next meeting?

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

That is my point.

[Bernard Patry, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

That is what I want to know.

I don't want to come back in one week and be doing this motion forever.