Evidence of meeting #118 for Canadian Heritage in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was cbcradio-canada.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Catherine Tait  President and Chief Executive Officer, CBC/Radio-Canada
Marco Dubé  Chief Transformation Officer and Executive Vice-President, People and Culture, CBC/Radio-Canada

6:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

It's five minutes after six.

6:05 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

It doesn't just end when I'm in the middle of a question round.

6:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

We had points of order that did that. We have to leave this room at a certain time I'm told by the clerk, and so we have to vacate the room.

6:05 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

I don't know that's entirely true. Perhaps you could check with the clerk to see if we could extend another five minutes.

6:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Mrs. Thomas, you seem to have this penchant for arguing with everyone who makes any suggestions.

6:05 p.m.

Conservative

Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON

I have a point of order, Chair.

That is inappropriate.

6:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Mr. Lawrence, please allow me to speak.

When we were going to this last round, Mr. Champoux suggested that we should find out how much more time we have left so that we could do 25 minutes. The clerk informed me then that we had until five minutes after six. It was clear. She said it and I repeated it.

6:05 p.m.

Conservative

Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON

I have a point of order, Madam Chair.

You have an obligation to listen to my point of order. This is not optional.

6:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Go ahead with your point of order.

6:05 p.m.

An hon. member

The meeting is adjourned.

6:05 p.m.

Conservative

Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON

No, it is not adjourned. I have a point of order and we're continuing on here.

6:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

It's not adjourned because we didn't call the question.

6:05 p.m.

Conservative

Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON

He raised a series of non-points of order, which you, against the rules, recognized. That was against the rules. That got rid of her time.

It would be an affront to democracy if you do not allow her to continue. This was clearly an obstruction of the process. Please continue to allow Mrs. Thomas to speak, otherwise, I will be bringing a question of privilege.

6:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Great, it's now 10 minutes after six.

Clerk, do we have time to finish this meeting?

The clerk informs me it is up to the committee to decide whether they want to continue.

6:05 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

I have a point of order.

6:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Yes, Mrs. Thomas.

6:05 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

Madam Chair, you accused me, and I'll use your words, of interrupting "everyone".

6:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Yes.

6:05 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

That's a superlative, interrupting "everyone,” which is unparliamentary.

Madam Chair, I would bring that to your attention and I would ask you to make a ruling as to whether or not that should be withdrawn.

Does Mrs. Thomas interrupt everyone? If she does, then your statement stands, but if it can be proven that she does not interrupt everyone—a superlative—then you must withdraw it.

I would ask for your ruling as the official chair of this committee.

6:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

I think, Mrs. Thomas, to decide whether you interrupt everyone, I'm going to have to go back into the past blues and read every one of them to find out if this is true.

But it is on the record, and if you like, I would withdraw the term “everyone” and say you often interrupt people in this committee, whether it's other members or witnesses or anyone who has something to say.

If you disagree with them, you interrupt. Often you do that. This is a pattern that you have, and I don't like it because it's not in keeping with having a respectful meeting. I'm going to state that clearly. We need to be respectful. We need to have decorum here. We are a parliamentary committee. We're not a little group of people chatting around here and throwing stones at each other, so let's try to be respectful.

6:05 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

On a point of order, you just said we don't throw stones at one another, but I seem to be the object at which you throw stones quite often.

6:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Mrs. Thomas, I think this is getting to be just a little bit too much. I correct anyone. I have corrected people who have interrupted everyone. I've corrected them each time to keep decorum in this committee. I think it's time we go with decorum in this committee.

I'm going to ask a question right now of this committee.

Do you wish this meeting to continue or do you wish this meeting to adjourn?

6:10 p.m.

Conservative

Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON

I want a recorded division.

6:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Thank you.

Clerk, can we record the division, please?

(Motion agreed to: yeas 6; nays 5)

The meeting is adjourned. Thank you.