Justice Committee on Oct. 30th, 2006

[Sue Barnes, Liberal, London West, ON]

Then you should make your rulings.

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

Exactly.

Mr. Ménard.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

Mr. Chairman, could we get some indication from you as to what is happening? For instance, does the government intend to back the proposals of our NDP colleagues?

We could find ourselves in the following situation. The Liberals will back the NDP amendments, but what is the government planning to do? I know it won't be voting in favour of the Bloc's amendments, barring a pleasant surprise that we would be prepared to welcome. Is the government planning on voting in favour of the NDP's amendments? Probably not. Therefore, the question is how the members of the Official Opposition and NDP will be voting, compared with the government's position.

[Joe Comartin, NDP, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

I'm sorry, Mr. Chair, there's a point of order here.

There's a lady at the back of the room taking pictures. This is an in camera session.

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

It's Monsieur Petit's assistant.

[Daniel Petit, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

She's my assistant.

[Joe Comartin, NDP, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

I know, but you're not going to take pictures in an in camera session.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

If you want a picture, you'll have to pay.

[Daniel Petit, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

We can remove them.

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

This is not an in camera session.

No, that's fine.

[Daniel Petit, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

It was merely to show that we are working.

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

Now, Mr. Comartin, I don't know if there's any further discussion required on these points. I'm going to begin the clause-by-clause, and of course this will be an issue that will come on the first clause. Barring further discussion, I will make a ruling.

Mr. Moore.

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

I guess that was the point I was going to make. Even if we adopt this method, that would be assuming that the amendments are in order, I would think. If the amendments are not in order, then we would not be voting on the amendments, correct?

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

My understanding is that matters like this have gone before the House before, where there were inadmissible amendments that went with the bill and were stripped from the bill at the House level. But we're not going to proceed in that fashion.

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

So that might shed some light on our discussion, if we knew what was—

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

Exactly.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

Mr. Chairman, will the amendments be grouped together for voting purposes, as Mr. Comartin requested, or will we be voting on each amendment separately?

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

No, we will be going through clause-by-clause at this point, and these amendments will be addressed accordingly as we reach them.

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

The question here is whether we can do an express block adoption and get some rulings. What may occur, Mr. Chair, is that the first amendment that arrives before us, which you may make a decision on as to whether or not it's in order.... Not only may we have an opportunity to move a whole bunch of amendments bunched up together, but you may also have an opportunity to rule on all of them together. I don't want to prejudge what your ruling might be, but that might occur.

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

That's a possibility, depending on the—

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

That will save us a whole ton of time and you a whole lot of words.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

Mr. Moore.

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Just to be clear on what the position is on this—and we haven't had the benefit of your ruling on the admissibility—if the committee wants to propose something different from what is ultimately passed at the end of the day.... I don't know whether these amendments will be in order or not and how things will go, but if they're not in order, then the committee can bring forward a motion stating what it would like to see adopted. The minister has said he would consider that and bring that forward, but because there is no royal recommendation, we're not in any position to adopt anything at this point or have any sign-off. So we would have to bring that forward by way of a motion or a report.

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

A second report.

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

Or the amendments could be submitted at report stage and dealt with at that point.