Agriculture Committee on Nov. 17th, 2009

[The Clerk]

Yes.

[André Bellavance, Bloc, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Which means that the Chair is correct.

We just heard the Chair's ruling, and that ruling is supported by the Clerk.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

Let's have clarification. As far as the clerk is concerned, the chair was right. But you're ruling the chair out of order anyway, so that's your prerogative.

We have to bring that to a vote, apparently.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Chair, the rules don't matter to the governing party if they don't suit their purpose. That's exactly what we're seeing here. It's what we see in Parliament. It's what we're seeing in the country.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

We don't need anymore discussion.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

If you don't like the rules, break them, and if you have a majority you get away with them. That's what you're doing.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

We're going to bring this to a vote.

The witnesses are here. I don't think they need to see anymore of this charade. I think we just have to bring it to a vote.

It's going to be a recorded vote. I guess you guys are saying that the chair's ruling be sustained.

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

No, that's your question.

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

That's your question.

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

The question is whether your ruling should be sustained.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

Let's vote on the motion, that the chair's ruling be sustained.

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

[Carol Hughes, NDP, Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON]

I thought that the motion could still be debated

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

No, the motion is that we continue with committee business.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

Those in favour of continuing with committee business?

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

I'm asking for an interpretation. If the motion is to continue committee business, this agenda is committee business. It starts at 4:30.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

Mr. Easter, according to the clerk, apparently they can overrule an agenda.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

They can overrule the rules. I understand that.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

We were in the middle of a vote.

(Motion agreed to)

That being said, we're going to go back to motions. I think we're going back to Wayne Easter's motion.

Did you have a comment?

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Yes, I want to make a comment, Mr. Chair.

I'm speaking quite honestly here. I'm not sure why the opposition is so nervous. It's unfortunate that it's coming down to this. They seem to feel there's some sort of plot at work here. There is not. It's just that we didn't appreciate being filibustered for an hour. That's it.

Their motions are the next motions on the table. We are not threatened by this, and I don't understand why they are so worried. It's unfortunate that you are stuck in this position.

That's the only comment I want to make.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

Thank you for your sympathy, but I have taken on bigger battles. At the end of the day, whether one interprets it as filibustering or giving information, it's not for me to decide.

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

They spoke for an hour on a motion that they voted for.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

It's a very important motion, apparently, on the young farmers, but anyway, hopefully we can move on.

We'll move on to Mr. Easter's motion.

I'm sorry, Mr. Bellavance.

[André Bellavance, Bloc, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

I would like to put an end to this circus by moving that we hear the witnesses who have taken the time to come.

I therefore move that we go back to our agenda and proceed to hear from the witnesses, at least until 5:30 p.m.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

We have to vote right away on that motion. Let's deal with the motion.

Do you understand the motion, that the witnesses now be heard? It is moved by Mr. Bellavance.

(Motion negatived)

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

Order. We're going back to business, and we have Mr. Easter's motion on prison farms.

Does everybody have that motion? Maybe Mr. Easter wants to begin by reading it.