Evidence of meeting #19 for Canadian Heritage in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was clerk.
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Conservative
Peter Van Loan Conservative York—Simcoe, ON
That is not what the rules of this committee provide, however.
Conservative
Peter Van Loan Conservative York—Simcoe, ON
That is not what the rules of this committee provide. The rules of this committee provide that he must be given 48 hours' notice, an opportunity to present his views. In fact, for all members, I would submit, it's 48 hours after the notice of reference.
You can make an argument about the others. You can make no argument whatsoever in this case, and to say that we can break our rules because someone has a remedy that we're ignoring them, and they have another remedy for when the House is not following our rules and—
Liberal
Seamus O'Regan Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
Madam Chair, the honourable member for Nunavut is grateful for the member's concern. Can we move on to clause-by-clause study, please?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Thank you.
There is a vote by this committee to move on to clause-by-clause consideration.
Conservative
Liberal
Conservative
Peter Van Loan Conservative York—Simcoe, ON
In view of the new information, I would like to have that matter reconsidered.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Mr. Van Loan, you could speak to this issue on the clause-by-clause consideration.
Conservative
Peter Van Loan Conservative York—Simcoe, ON
Could we hear from the legal clerk on it in view of the new facts?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
The verdict is that, indeed, the committee had decided this would be dealt with on Thursday. As I have reiterated, this was decided on Tuesday. That was the 48 hours, and everyone was aware of the 48 hours.
The point is that we now have the committee again asking as a majority to proceed with clause-by-clause consideration. They voted duly on this, and we are going to have to obey the will of this committee on how we proceed.
The committee has decided to proceed with clause-by-clause consideration, notwithstanding your objections, Mr. Van Loan.
Conservative
Peter Van Loan Conservative York—Simcoe, ON
Madam Chair, we have a new piece of information, and I think—
Conservative
Peter Van Loan Conservative York—Simcoe, ON
—that your ruling in the context of the new piece of information should be revisited. I would challenge it in the context of the new information received by this committee.
Liberal
Conservative
Peter Van Loan Conservative York—Simcoe, ON
It's a clear breach of the rules, and if we break all our rules, this is a very dangerous precedent.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Mr. Van Loan, the committee can decide how it proceeds and the committee has decided how it will proceed. You may not agree.
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
The majority of the committee has decided on this procedure, and we will now move to the first clause.
Liberal
Conservative
Peter Van Loan Conservative York—Simcoe, ON
Madam Chair, with the greatest of respect, the majority rules. It doesn't make the rules over the rules unless it makes the rules. The rules bind. To suspend the rules requires unanimous consent. To suspend the rules in the House of Commons requires unanimous consent. To suspend the rules here at committee requires unanimous consent.
We now have clear evidence that the rules are not being followed, yet you are saying a mere majority can suspend those rules.
If the mere majority can suspend all the rules, what is happening is exactly what I have said, that this is a question where the majority's rule—
Liberal
Seamus O'Regan Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
Madam Chair, the member is repeating himself. The majority rules. Can we move on to the first clause?
Conservative
Liberal