Evidence of meeting #20 for Justice and Human Rights in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was vote.
A recording is available from Parliament.
3:40 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Art Hanger
I will not let this committee turn into a circus. I will not take the count. As far as I'm concerned, the matter is finished, and I will not take the count.
3:40 p.m.
Liberal
3:40 p.m.
Liberal
Derek Lee Liberal Scarborough—Rouge River, ON
At this point, colleagues, we do not have a chair. I believe the chair has resigned or left his position.
That being the case, unless members have other views, I would ask the clerk to preside over the election of a new chair.
If a reference is needed, I'll refer you to page 833 of Marleau and Montpetit, which deals with the circumstance of the resignation or absence of the chair.
I nominate Mr. Dykstra as chair of the justice committee.
I would move that Mr. Dykstra be elected chair of the committee, and I would ask the clerk to preside over an election in that regard.
3:40 p.m.
An hon. member
There's a vice-chair in the room. Mr. Ménard is a vice-chair.
3:40 p.m.
Liberal
Mark Holland Liberal Ajax—Pickering, ON
We don't have a chair. We have a chair who refuses to preside over the proceedings. This is a Conservative chair of the committee.
3:40 p.m.
Conservative
3:40 p.m.
Bloc
3:40 p.m.
Conservative
3:40 p.m.
Bloc
Réal Ménard Bloc Hochelaga, QC
I am not going to take the chair until Mr. Hanger explains why he has resigned, or not, and why he refuses to apply the rules.
3:40 p.m.
Conservative
Rob Moore Conservative Fundy Royal, NB
He's not resigning. He said he won't take the vote. He said he will not take the vote, Réal. That's what he said.
3:40 p.m.
Liberal
Derek Lee Liberal Scarborough—Rouge River, ON
As a point of order, may I ask the clerk whether there are any options that are clearly available to the committee at this point, in the absence of the chair.
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
If we're going to read from the rules, it's pretty clear that in the absence of the chair and the vice-chairs of a committee, an acting chair must be chosen. We have a vice-chair here who can take over when the chair isn't here.
It's right on page 829. There is a vice-chair here. According to the rules, the vice-chair has to take the chair.
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
Daniel Petit Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
He has been making points of order since we started.
3:45 p.m.
Bloc
Réal Ménard Bloc Hochelaga, QC
Madam clerk, I am not going to take the Chair until somebody explains why Mr. Hangar refused to abide by the Standing Orders. I cannot imagine that there are two different rules on this.
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
Mark Holland Liberal Ajax—Pickering, ON
Madam Clerk, my understanding is that it is the option of the vice-chair to decline to take the chair. The committee is chaired by the Conservative Party. We have one vice-chair here who has declined to chair the committee, and therefore we need to determine an acting chair.
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
I appreciate Mr. Holland's interpretation, but if I read the House of Commons Procedure and Practice, it actually doesn't say what he says.
3:45 p.m.
A voice
Mr. Holland, perhaps we can--
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
It says the vice-chair, in the absence of the chair, has to take it. In the absence of the vice-chair and the chair, an acting chair has to be nominated; until that point, the vice-chair has to take it.
