Agriculture Committee on May 14th, 2009

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

That the chair's ruling is being sustained...?

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

That would be your motion.

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

We're challenging the ruling of the chair.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

You're challenging my ruling.

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

For the information of everybody at the table, so we're clear, a yea vote--

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

Mr. Easter.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

I don't know whether we can deal with this now, with the challenge to the chair, but the fact of the matter is that if you're going to put a motion, you have to have unanimous consent of the committee. If we're going to debate the report, we are going to have to spend some time on asking the Wheat Board, on this report, what are the commercial implications to Canada as a result--

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

Mr. Easter, we can't debate this. There is a motion to challenge the chair and that the chair's ruling be sustained. So I think we have to go with yeas and nays on this.

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

Mr. Chairman, we're not asking for debate. We're asking for clarification for the new members, and all the members, to make sure they know exactly what they are voting on if they are voting yea or if they're voting nay. Could the clerk describe that?

[Frank Valeriote, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

[Inaudible--Editor]

[An hon. member]

No coaching the chair, Mr. Valeriote. Come on now, he's supposed to be independent.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

It's very simple, I think. There was a ruling on a motion, and I didn't see it fit. You're questioning the chair's ruling on that, so you're asking that the chair's ruling be sustained. We're going to bring it to a vote and it has to be--

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

I'm not actually asking for the chair's ruling to be sustained. I'm looking to overturn the chair's ruling.

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Lévis—Bellechasse, QC]

But I think the question is, will the chair's ruling be sustained? So we would vote no.

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

We want to be clear, because the wording that he is—

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Did the Prime Minister's Office not give you the proper directions, guys, or what?

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

I want to make sure Frank knows.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

You should know. It's the little guys behind you there. Is the proper direction coming forward?

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

You have the floor, Mr. Chair.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

Order.

If you vote yea, it maintains the chair's ruling. If you vote nay, you don't go with the chair's ruling.

All in favour of the chair's ruling will signify by raising their hand.

[An hon. member]

It's a recorded vote.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Chair, it's a set-up.

(Ruling of the chair overturned: nays 6; yeas 5)

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

The chair's ruling has not passed. So that means the motion will go forward.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

It means the motion will be debated.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

Yes, it will be debated.

I just want a little clarification from the committee. It was noted at our last meeting that we wanted to deal with this bill; and we were going to extend the meeting past one o'clock to deal with the bill.

Whether we get into a debate on where we're going to go for the next hour.... If you want to debate this motion for a while, we will, but we have the government officials here dealing with the other bill.

So right now, do you want to go ahead with this motion and should we keep the witnesses here?