Natural Resources Committee on Oct. 30th, 2023

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Yes, Chair. I have been trying to raise a number of points of order respecting this committee.

If you look back at the record, I think, I have been continually interrupted by you in attempts to raise those points of order. At the same time, you've allowed other members of the committee.... Well, let's call a spade a spade—

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

I have a point of order.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

You've allowed members of your own party on this committee to, at great length, raise points of order, and you've not allowed me at any point to complete the point of order that I have been trying for a long time to raise—

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

I'm sorry, Mr. Genuis. I'll ask you to hold.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Here we go again.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

As Mr. Angus had the floor and you had a point of order, Mr. Angus has a point of order.

I have Mr. Angus on the point of order.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Thank you.

It is now probably six hours since I've been denied my right to speak.

I'm raising a point of order because of the attempt by Mr. Genuis to undermine the chair. When the chair speaks, he is not interrupting. When a chair rules, the committee either accepts the ruling or they challenge it.

Mr. Genuis speaks over the chair. He undermines the chair. He claims that the chair interrupts him when he doesn't have the floor, so either Mr. Genuis can challenge the chair or he must stop interrupting the chair, but it's the chair who sets the tone for the meeting, and the chair I would like to thank, by the way, for the respect that he shows for the process.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Thank you, Mr. Angus, on the point of order.

I think this is a good opportunity for me to remind all committee members that when my light goes on, I want to give committee members an opportunity to pause so that we're not speaking over each other. We know from a previous meeting that our interpreters are doing a tremendous job, but when we have multiple mikes on and multiple members speaking, it makes the job of the interpreters very difficult. Most importantly, it's a health and safety concern, so I would remind all colleagues that I would like one member to speak at a time.

If I do have to intervene in certain cases, I will turn on my mike so that you can see the light come on. If I believe that you do not see the mike, I will ask you to pause so that I can interject and recognize another member if there is another member to be recognized.

Mr. Angus had the floor. We had a point of order by Mr. Genuis. Now Ms. Stubbs has a point of order on Mr. Genuis's comments, or a point of order...?

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

We'll get to it as soon as we're not conflicting with each other.

Thank you, of course, for the indulgence for me to make my point without interruption.

Just before we begin, I do want to bring attention to an important and what should be a priority issue for this committee, and just to give verbal notice of the following motion that I submitted previously: “Given that the Prime Minister has unfairly extended the carbon tax exemption to home heating oil and has not applied the exemption to all forms of home heating, and given that Liberal MPs voted against a Conservative motion”—

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair—

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Ms. Stubbs, could I ask you to hold, please.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

—“on applying a temporary pause to all home heating, the committee immediately undertake a five meetings review of carbon tax policy in Canada”—

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Ms. Stubbs, can I ask you to hold for a point of order?

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

—“and the disproportionate impact the Prime Minister’s unfair carbon tax carve-out has, and that the committee find additional resources in order”—

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Ms. Stubbs, can I ask you to hold? We have—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Mike Kelloway, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso, NS]

I have a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

We will be suspending.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Colleagues, before I move to the points of order, I'm going to begin. As I began this meeting, I thought I'd made myself quite clear that for the health and safety of our interpreters we were not going to turn on our mikes and speak over each other.

Just like in the House of Commons when the Speaker rises, when I turn on my mike and I attempt to speak, I expect all committee members to ensure they are not speaking, so that we can address and make sure this committee functions well and that all members have an opportunity to participate.

I would remind members that points of order are regarding a procedural issue: if there's a procedural issue and you want to raise a point of order.

Ms. Stubbs, you raised a point of order, but Ms. Dabrusin has a point of order on your point of order, so I'm going to Ms. Dabrusin.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

I have a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Ms. Dabrusin, you have the floor.

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I was just saying that I don't believe a person can bring a motion on a point of order. That's what my point of order was. It was a matter of the rules.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Thank you, Ms. Dabrusin.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

On a point of clarification....

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Ms. Dabrusin, you are correct. A motion cannot be moved on a point of order.

We do have a point of order from Mr. Genuis.

Mr. Genuis, you have the floor on a point of order.