Evidence of meeting #131 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 hate.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Isabelle Mondou  Deputy Minister, Department of Canadian Heritage
Clerk of the Committee  Ms. Danielle Widmer

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

The Speaker ruled on it yesterday in the House.

Go ahead.

Michael Coteau Liberal Don Valley East, ON

Is it okay if I speak, Madam Chair?

I just want to support my colleague, Mr. Noormohamed, in the sense that I won't support the amendment, mainly because I think—

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

You will? Did you say you will support it?

Michael Coteau Liberal Don Valley East, ON

I will not support the amendment.

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

All right. Okay.

Michael Coteau Liberal Don Valley East, ON

I think that in the way it's written, we can talk about many different issues. It really speaks to an issue around the growth of the far right in Canada.

I keep seeing more images of people marching in the United States. In Washington, you have far right extremists and white supremacists. You start to see more things. I go through my social media now and I start to see more and more images of extremism in America, but also in Canada.

I think all of us here, every single person in this room—I hope—would agree that extremism usually occurs in hidden places. It's in places we don't often see. It's a very underground movement. I think we need to shed some light on this growth that's taking place in the country and prove that it actually is growing. Let's bring in some experts to figure out what's actually happening right now, at this moment.

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Are you speaking to the amendment or to the motion itself?

Michael Coteau Liberal Don Valley East, ON

I was just saying why I don't support the amendment. It's because I think the motion itself is clear enough. That's what I was trying to get at.

I'll stop there, Madam Chair.

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Okay. All right. Thank you.

I have Mr. Waugh and then Mr. Gourde.

6:15 p.m.

Conservative

Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK

Madam Chair, I was just going to move a privilege motion.

I move that the chair violated the privileges of the members of this committee when the chair arbitrarily gave the floor to Mr. Coteau when we first started from May 9. It should have been Mr. Noomohamed.

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

I do not think I violated the privilege of anyone. We had suspended, if you recall, Mr. Waugh, so the committee was not meeting at that moment. We were looking to find out more about this motion before—

Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK

I found it for you.

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

All right. It doesn't matter who found it.

6:20 p.m.

Conservative

Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK

We found that on May 9, Mr. Noormohamed—

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

We found it. That's not the point. The point is we found out that, in fact, Mr. Noormohamed's motion could not stand as it was and we had to move a motion. Mr. Coteau moved the motion that the committee study it. That was pretty straightforward.

6:20 p.m.

Conservative

Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC

On a point of order, Madam Chair, have you found his privilege motion to be in order?

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

I have not, but you can challenge the chair, if you wish.

6:20 p.m.

Conservative

Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC

No. I would just like to find out if you're going to be...because then we can have a discussion, and I would like to speak to that.

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Mr. Waugh, because this is quite a rare, little thing we're doing here now, I'm listening to the clerk. Why do you feel your privilege was violated?

6:20 p.m.

Conservative

Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK

When you look back, we found that on May 9, the debate started with Mr. Noormohamed. Instead of him picking up where we left off on May 9, you gave Mr. Coteau the floor first, when it really should have gone to Mr. Noormohamed.

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Mr. Noormohamed's hand was not up for the floor, though.

6:20 p.m.

Conservative

Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK

Yes, but it should have gone back to him from the—

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Not necessarily. I got instructions from the clerk—

6:20 p.m.

Conservative

Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC

I have a point of order.

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Mr. Albas, I'm explaining something to Mr. Waugh.

Go ahead.