Status of Women Committee on Oct. 26th, 2006

[Anita Neville, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

No, I don't.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Okay.

We'll go to Ms. Mathyssen.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I would support this motion inasmuch as it does indeed underscore and support the two motions I made two meetings ago, first, in regard to restoring funding, and second, in regard to reviewing the mandate and restoring the mandate of Status of Women Canada. That is for a number of reasons, but it is essentially because I've heard from women's groups all across the country, and they're very concerned about the fact that funding cuts will restrict the work of SWC in a very real way and that the new mandate restricts their work and their ability to ensure equality for women.

So indeed, I see this as important in terms of discussing the barriers that are indeed being placed before women because of this new change.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Thank you, Ms. Mathyssen.

Unless there are any suggestions for amendments.... Ms. Guergis, do you have an amendment?

[Helena Guergis, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

I do have an amendment. But if I need to, I can make this a point of order.

I do have a question. Maybe the clerk can clarify it for me. It's been my understanding that motions cannot be worded to be argumentative, and I do find this one to be very much so. I also find that it's very much in a speech format, and I understand--correct me if I'm pronouncing this wrong--that in Marleau and Montpetit, there's actually wording to this effect.

So I was wondering if the clerk could answer some questions for us, specifically about it being argumentative, or tell me how I can address that, because I really feel that it is.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Again, I'll go back to the fact that the preamble is what we're not to speak to. I think the preamble is part of what is causing some concern.

[Helena Guergis, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

So will that be removed?

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

We are actually voting on the actual recommendation that is here.

Would you like to comment, Madam Clerk?

[The Clerk]

Motions, you are correct, Ms. Guergis, are not supposed to be argumentative. What the committee should be speaking to right now is what is in bold at the bottom of the motion, which is the actual motion.

The preamble--in other words, the sentences that begin with “whereas”--becomes part of the report based on this motion. So typically, in the past, because it was a comment made by one of the members in a previous motion to include the preamble in the motion, I've been consistent with all the members. But procedurally speaking, the preamble--the “whereases”--should not be included in the motion.

[Helena Guergis, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

Well, I would like them not to be included in the motion, because I find them argumentative. I do.

[A voice]

Absolutely.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

As the clerk indicated, she--

[Helena Guergis, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

How do I propose an amendment to that?

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

She had already indicated that in previous motions she had accepted the preamble and was being consistent, as we moved forward, rather than making a change.

If you're suggesting that you want us to vote on the motion without the preamble, on a separate vote, I'm not sure that can happen, because effectively, we aren't voting on the preamble at all. We are simply voting on--

[Helena Guergis, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

Effectively we are because it is being included, and it is not normal procedure to do that. We're not supposed to be addressing it, but obviously it is a problem at this table. I fully expect that I might lose it. It's obvious. I'm not foolish enough to think that's not going to happen, but we should go through the process of doing that and having it recorded as well.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Okay, I think we need to go to a vote on it and--

[Helena Guergis, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

It is an amendment I requested, so I'd like my amendment to be tabled to have it removed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

So you're moving an amendment that we take the preamble out of the report.

[Helena Guergis, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

Yes.

[Bruce Stanton, Conservative, Simcoe North, ON]

That the report not include the preamble to this motion.

[Helena Guergis, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

I have one other amendment as well that I spoke to earlier--the wording of it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Okay, if you could give me your amendment to the....

[Helena Guergis, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

Sure.

Excuse me, what did he just say?

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

I'm sorry, no conversations back and forth. Ms. Guergis had the floor.

[Helena Guergis, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

We will address your comments when I'm finished here.

It would read:

Whereas we recognize that all women are equal in Canada under the Constitution, and we recognize the strength of women in Canada;

I wouldn't mind, if we're going to wipe that out, can we somehow add...?