Status of Women Committee on May 26th, 2010

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

You just intimated you had some indication last week with respect to our meeting between 6 and 8. I'm going to check; perhaps my office didn't receive any update from you with respect to any problems that you might have been having last week.

I notice that the witnesses who are being brought forward seem to be reflective of one certain agenda, not a broader agenda, as the motion actually clearly stated--

[Nicole Demers, Bloc, Laval, QC]

Point d'ordre, madame la présidente--

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Mr. Calandra, it's out of order. I'm sorry, we're not discussing this.

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

With all due respect, you brought—

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

We have two other members—

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

On a point of order, Madam Chair--

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Yes, Mr. Calandra.

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

On a point of order, you brought that up a minute ago. If it's under order while you're talking about it, then it's on the floor, so clearly, just because you don't like the direction I'm going in, you've decided to make it out of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Mr. Calandra, I have no opinion one way or the other about your order--

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

So what we have here, Madam Chair, is that you've decided you'll be deciding--

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

--and whether I like or dislike it.

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

I'm on my point of order, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Mr. Calandra, the chair is responding, and then you can speak when I finish.

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

Perhaps you can let me finish my point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

I was speaking to Ms. McLeod about the tone of questioning and the questions out of order on what this meeting is meant to be about, which is maternal and child health. I was explaining to Ms. McLeod specifically that Minister Ambrose had been asked to come to the funding meeting, and that therefore it is unfortunate that the minister would not be here to answer at the funding meeting later on today.

Would you like to say something now, Mr. Calandra?

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

I would. I just want to just summarize, if I could, on my point of order. If I got this correctly, we've decided, or you've—

[Nicole Demers, Bloc, Laval, QC]

A point of order, Madam Chair.

We asked the Minister to stay an extra five minutes so that we could ask her two questions.

Could Mr. Calandra resolve his issues after the ministers leave, out of respect for them and their schedules?

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Absolutely right and--

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

Anyway, continuing with my point of order—

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

I have agreed with Madame Demers' point to get back to the business of the meeting.

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

Well, I have another point of order, then.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Now, then, you are keeping the ministers—

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

Well, with all due respect to the ministers, I just want to make sure because, going forward, we have a long night tonight. So am I correct, then, in assuming that we will not be following the standard procedures? You've decided to forego the clock in any way, shape, or form, so how are we to know how this meeting is supposed to progress tonight? We're uncertain of the timings because you go from five minutes to seven minutes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Mr. Calandra—

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

We're uncertain about a lot of things, so perhaps between meetings you might actually give us a better sense of how you intend to run the meeting.