Natural Resources Committee on Oct. 30th, 2023

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

I have a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Hold on. We had a point of order on Mr. Patzer's point of order by Mr. Genuis.

Mr. Genuis, on Mr. Patzer's point of order, you have a point of order, and then there's another point of order.

Go ahead.

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

Chair, I had an earlier point of order, but I want to raise a point of order in the particular context of your comments.

Your present framing is as if the operation of a committee is difficult. The running of a committee is not normally difficult if the chair is guided by the rules and with basic fairness toward all members. I think you are creating a problem by treating members in radically different ways.

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

I have a point of order.

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

I suspect we're about to see exactly how that happens.

The rules provide that every member should be treated equally and that members have rights and privileges as members of Parliament. That means when a member has the floor—

[Viviane LaPointe, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

On a point of order—

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Mr. Genuis, I'm going to cut you off there.

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

Yes, you are.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

I'm not sure I understood your point of order and what the point of the point of order was, but we have two points of order now.

We'll go to Mr. Angus on the point of order.

Colleagues, once again, I would encourage all colleagues not to use points of order as points of debate. Be specific. Be succinct, procedurally, on what your point of order is referring to, so that we can get out of points of order and get back to the committee's business.

Mr. Angus, you raised a point of order on Mr. Genuis's point of order.

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

Thank you.

Chair, it is about six hours since I've been denied the right to speak as a member of this committee.

The reason I objected is that Mr. Genuis continues to undermine your decisions but he doesn't have the respect for this committee to make a challenge to the chair. If he doesn't have the respect to make a challenge to the chair, he needs to sit down and let the committee do its business. He continues to interrupt. If he has a challenge to the chair, he can bring a challenge to the chair.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

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

Once again, we see this turning into a circus. We need to have respect for the committee.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Mr. Angus, thank you for your point of order.

Colleagues, I would also state that we've discussed the chair's rules previously.

[Viviane LaPointe, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

I have a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

It was upheld by a ruling of this committee.

If you would like to challenge the chair on a decision, on a specific ruling, as committee members, you have the right to do so, and then it's up to the committee to decide.

Please, I would ask committee members, if you would like to challenge a ruling that I have made, please challenge the chair and have your committee members make the decision accordingly.

Now, I want to go back to the point of order by Ms. Lapointe.

Ms. Lapointe, thank you for waiting patiently.

[Viviane LaPointe, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

My point of order is around the unparliamentary behaviour and remarks that we see from our Conservative colleagues. The remarks from MP Genuis would seem to indicate a lack of respect for the chair. We have to understand that the chair is not just another member of this committee. He has responsibilities to preside over the proceedings of this committee. We cannot continue to speak over him.

I also find it difficult, even when mikes aren't on, for comments to be made when someone does have mike and is speaking. I'm trying to listen attentively. It is very difficult.

I will ask everyone around this table to please respect the proceedings, respect the chair. We are here, several days and hours later, to try to get to some very important legislation.

This legislation, I can tell you, is important to the people of Sudbury. We need to get on with the work of this committee.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Ms. Lapointe, thank you for your interjection and your point of order.

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

Can I just have a point of order?

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

I'll address that in a second. I will give you an opportunity, Mr. Genuis.

Ms. Lapointe does make a valid point on the point of order that it is difficult for members to focus and participate when our microphones are on—and it's very difficult for the interpreters for health and safety concerns, as I previously mentioned—but also, when a number of us are talking across the floor, it makes it difficult to focus on the subamendment, the amendments and everything at hand.

Members, I would ask all of you to whisper if you are having a side conversation with one of your colleagues, so we all can focus on the important work we are doing here.

Now, Mr. Genuis, I have you on a point of order on Ms. Stubbs' point of order. Is that correct?

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

I wanted to raise a point of order in respect to Ms. Lapointe who—

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

I'm sorry, I meant Ms. Lapointe. My apologies, Ms. Stubbs.

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

She'll be sitting on that side of the table after the election, but not before.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Mr. Genuis, please be succinct on the point of order.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

You're not allowed to joke; you're a Conservative.

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

Ms. Lapointe called out that my alleged language was unparliamentary. She didn't cite specific language—