Debates of Dec. 5th, 1996

Tobacco Act

[The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Ringuette-Maltais)]

Is there unanimous consent for the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Some hon. members]

No.

[The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Ringuette-Maltais)]

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Some hon. members]

No.

[The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Ringuette-Maltais)]

All those in favour will please say yea.

[Some hon. members]

Yea.

[The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Ringuette-Maltais)]

All those opposed will please say nay.

[Some hon. members]

Nay.

[The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Ringuette-Maltais)]

In my opinion the yeas have it.

And more than five members having risen:

[The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Ringuette-Maltais)]

Call in the members.

Before the taking of the vote:

[Bob Speller, Liberal, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. As you know I was on the list to speak next on this subject. Unfortunately the Reform Party of Canada decided to deny me my right to speak on the matter by putting forward a motion in this House to delay the voting on this.

I am wondering if I could then get the consent of the House to allow me to put forward the views of my constituents. As you know, Madam Speaker, there are 1,200 farmers in my area who are in the tobacco industry and are affected every time a tobacco bill is brought forward in the House. I wonder if I could have that consent.

[The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Ringuette-Maltais)]

Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House?

[Some hon. members]

No.

[The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Ringuette-Maltais)]

The hon. member does not have unanimous consent.

[Pierre De Savoye, Bloc, Portneuf, QC]

Madam Speaker, when the hon. member from the Reform Party moved the previous question, I was on my feet, ready to speak on debate. However, I obviously did not manage to catch your attention, because I was not recognized. We then started the process of voting, which is the stage we are at.

I would respectfully suggest, Madam Speaker, that you reconsider your decision and allow this House to continue debating the main motion. I would like to quote, if I may, Beauchesne's citation 521, which states that the previous question is moved when the original question is under debate. Its purpose is to force a direct vote on the original motion, thereby preventing any amendments to the original question to be proposed. Clearly, what we are doing is not serving the intended purpose of the motion, as the normal procedure was not followed.

I would respectfully suggest that you bring us back to where we should normally be.

[The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Ringuette-Maltais)]

In response to the point of order made by the hon. member for Portneuf, the Chair did not recognize the hon. member and called a vote, which will now be taken.

[Chuck Strahl, Reform, Fraser Valley East, BC]

Madam Speaker, the member for Haldimand-Norfolk said that the Reform Party had denied him his right to debate. I would just like to point out that-

[The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Ringuette-Maltais)]

Hon. member, is this a point of order on the process?

[Bob Speller, Liberal, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

Yes, Madam Speaker, on that same point. As with the hon. member from the Bloc Party, I also rose to speak at that time and unfortunately you did not recognize me nor did you recognize the hon. member either. I am wondering if we can go back to the point.

[The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Ringuette-Maltais)]

The hon. member for Kamouraska-Rivière-du-Loup has a point of order. Is this a point of order the Chair has already ruled on?

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup, QC]

No, Madam Speaker.

[The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Ringuette-Maltais)]

No? So I recognize the hon. member for Kamouraska-Rivière-du-Loup.

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup, QC]

Madam Speaker, yesterday, a whole day was allocated to a debate on a matter we had already discussed two or three months ago. The House spent a whole day on that. Now, we are debating a bill that has been under discussion for months and-