Evidence of meeting #120 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 amendments.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Blair McMurren  Director General, Strategic Policy and International Affairs, Department of Canadian Heritage
Philippe Méla  Legislative Clerk
Clerk of the Committee  Ms. Geneviève Desjardins

6:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

I don't know whether we should ask the clerk to have beer sitting in the corner in the future in case this happens.

6:30 p.m.

Voices

Oh, oh!

6:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Mr. Gourde.

May 21st, 2024 / 6:30 p.m.

Conservative

Jacques Gourde Conservative Lévis—Lotbinière, QC

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I want to know whether the committee members give their unanimous consent for the following motion: “That the committee instruct the clerk and analysts to prepare a report to the House, which the chair shall table forthwith, outlining the potential breach of privilege concerning Catherine Tait's refusal to and prevarication in answering those questions which the committee asked her.”

6:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

That's not what the meeting is about today, so I don't know. There would have to be unanimous consent for the motion to be allowed. Because we're dealing with Bill C-316 right now and we're waiting for translation and a legal opinion on Mrs. Thomas's subamendment, I think we just have to sit here right now and wait out the time, unless I get unanimous consent.

Ms. Lattanzio, are you able to speak? No.

Okay, so Ms. Lattanzio is out of the picture.

As the chair, I am at the wishes of the committee.

6:35 p.m.

Conservative

Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON

Madam Chair, I just want to confirm that Mr. Gourde's motion passed because there was no opposition. I didn't hear any.

6:35 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

I don't think anybody thought that it was appropriate to move that motion, which did not have 48 hours' notice. If Mr. Gourde wants to write it down and present it for the Thursday meeting, that would be reasonable. He can do that, but we can't accept it now because it's not on the Order Paper for this meeting. This is not a business meeting either.

Mr. Gourde, go ahead.

6:35 p.m.

Conservative

Jacques Gourde Conservative Lévis—Lotbinière, QC

Madam Chair, I just asked if you could check with the committee whether my motion has unanimous consent, but you didn't do so. Could you do so?

6:35 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

I got the sense from looking at the committee that they didn't want to. People were shaking their heads. All you need is one person to say no and you don't have unanimous consent.

Mr. Noormohamed.

6:35 p.m.

Liberal

Taleeb Noormohamed Liberal Vancouver Granville, BC

Madam Chair, we haven't seen the motion. It may or may not be perfectly fine. If we could have it circulated to everybody in both official languages, we'd be in a position to consider it, but we haven't seen it. As for Ms. Lattanzio, we don't even know how she will weigh in given that we haven't managed to figure out what's going on with her technical piece.

We'd all be very happy to look at it and consider it given that we have lots of time on our hands for the next 14 minutes. I think it's hard to give unanimous consent for a motion we haven't all seen and had the chance to consider.

6:35 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

I take it that there isn't unanimous consent.

Go ahead, Niki.

6:35 p.m.

NDP

Niki Ashton NDP Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB

I was going to say that we need to see a written copy of what was just proposed before we are even asked for unanimous consent.

6:35 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

We have 10 more minutes on the clock. I just thought you should know that.

I gather there isn't unanimous consent for adjourning, because nobody has moved it. Nobody seems to agree with it.

6:35 p.m.

Liberal

Marc Serré Liberal Nickel Belt, ON

Madam Chair, can we adjourn? This is not appropriate.

6:35 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Mr. Serré, do you move a motion to adjourn?

6:35 p.m.

Liberal

Marc Serré Liberal Nickel Belt, ON

Yes, please.

6:35 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Is anybody opposed to the motion to adjourn?

I see no hands up at all, so the meeting is adjourned.