Canadian Heritage Committee on Oct. 16th, 2006

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

No, I know what the other motion was.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

The previous motion was passed.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

So the committee has taken a stand.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

Yes, to restore the funding. So what Mr. Scarpaleggia is saying is not quite correct.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Keep that in mind. If I may very quickly--

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

I have the floor right now.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

I thought you had the last word.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

I do, actually.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Can I get mine in before you?

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

Sure.

[A voice]

Let's do it that way.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Thank you.

We have to keep in mind that this committee has already taken a position. I don't have a problem after that, in listening to witnesses, and I don't have a problem listening to witnesses who may have applied and weren't successful. That implies we will take a very serious look at this particular program, and I'm quite for that. I think it's one of the more important programs of the Government of Canada.

We can uphold this motion whether or not it's amended as you want, Mr. Fast, and still say, because

in French, it says “qui ont fait appel”.

Qui ont fait appel does not mean “that have received help or not”.

I would suggest that by close of business this Friday, any one of us who has any--should this be approved--suggestions of witnesses should convey them to the clerk so that next week we can determine who we'll have.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

You're suggesting the motion would just delete “who have utilized the Court Challenges Program”.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

No, just leave it as it is. By applying, you've utilized it.

[Jim Abbott, Conservative, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

This is a very important point of order. In fact, there is a discrepancy between the English and the French.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

I think there is.

[Jim Abbott, Conservative, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

If we were to accept the French and render it in English as “invite witnesses from organizations who have asked to use the Court Challenges Program”, that would be the end of the problem.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Point of order. It's my motion. If Mr. Bélanger wants to bring a motion inviting other groups on Friday, I'm more than willing to have him say that.

[Jim Abbott, Conservative, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

No, there's a discrepancy--

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mine is in the English. It's very clear. I want to vote on this motion. If Mr. Bélanger wants to make another motion--

[Jim Abbott, Conservative, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

Which motion do you mean, the French or the English motion?

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

The motion that says to invite “witnesses from organizations who have utilized the Court Challenges Program”.

[Jim Abbott, Conservative, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

Okay, just a second. Then, Mr. Angus, the difficulty with the motion is that according to Mr. Bélanger--I apologize that I don't understand French-- your motion, when translated, is not the same motion.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Well, it's very clear what that motion was. If we want to vote on that, then let's vote on that. If Mr. Bélanger wants to bring forward another motion that opens it to anybody--

[Jim Abbott, Conservative, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

Are we voting on the English or the French?