Official Languages Committee on June 15th, 2010

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Mr. Godin, you have a point of order?

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Mr. Weston asked that we take a five-minute coffee break.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Yes.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Supposedly, this committee has always had an open mind and has always enjoyed working together, even though it is apparently the worst committee in Parliament. Normally, Mr. Chair, you would ask whether the members agreed. Otherwise, do not ever ask us in the future to break for five minutes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Mr. Godin, since the meeting has just begun, I find that...

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

No, it has been a half-hour.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

When it involves remarks as ridiculous as these, we should be given the chance to settle the issue of speaking time.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

That is a value judgment. I would remind you that, as chair, I am the one who is supposed to make such determinations. So far, I find that Ms. Glover's remarks are pretty well in keeping with her motion.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Fine, go ahead.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you, Mr. Godin.

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Do not ever ask us for a five-minute break again. You will not get it.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Ms. Glover, you may continue. You are entirely free to do so.

[John Weston, Conservative, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

There was method to my madness.

[An hon. member]

The method was how to destroy a committee, John.

[John Weston, Conservative, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

I'm trying to--

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

Thank you kindly, Mr. Chair.

I will try to condense what I had to say.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

You know what? I agree with you.

You're trying to destroy the committee. We're not on the right road, I tell you this much. It's going to be a long fall.

[An hon. member]

She's on the right road.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

I'm trying to....

This is why we're trying to fix the committee. And I never said the committee is the worst of the committees.

[An hon. member]

[Inaudible--Editor].

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

I think I have the parole. I have the parole.

This is why the committee is not working: we cannot find a way to be fair.

I'm trying my best to share all of the information with you, to be transparent and open. Some of you have said you weren't able to see it. I'm trying to share that with you.

I never once said that we are the worst committee of the worst. I said that we have the worst system of asking questions of all committees in the House of Commons...

Shall I proceed?

[An hon. member]

No.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

Well, I think it's my right.

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

And I think you're filibustering, which is very anti-democratic.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

It's not filibustering. I'm providing information that some have not had a chance to read.