Evidence of meeting #29 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.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
In Canada, you can come to a parliamentary committee and say whatever you want. You can say whatever you want on your YouTube channel. There's nothing in this bill—let me be very clear about it—that would take away your right to freedom of speech in this country. It is a protected right under section 2 of the charter, and it is absolutely protected under this bill.
Thank you, Madam Chair, for the time.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Thank you very much, Mr. Housefather.
I think we are going to end our witness question-and-answer period, because we have to go into a business meeting right now.
I want to thank the witnesses for coming. I want to thank them for their patience while we waited to vote, and then thought we could start and then had to go back for a vote. I want to thank you very much. You offered a lot of insight into some of the complex questions that we on this committee are hearing.
I want to thank you for coming.
I would like the clerk to suspend the meeting, so that everyone can leave and we can begin our business meeting.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
I call the meeting back to order.
Colleagues, I think we should begin this business meeting. We have 15 minutes for it.
I would like us to go back to where we left off the last time. Our objective for this meeting is to decide on a deadline for submitting amendments. When we left, there was a suggestion that that deadline be Friday at 4 p.m., eastern time. We will begin to discuss this deadline, because we must have one set, so that we can get these amendments to the legislative clerks to begin their job, and that will take time.
Is there anyone with their hand up wishing to speak to this issue?
We have Peter and Martin.
Peter, begin please.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I'd like to move that the deadline be 4 p.m. on Friday, and that the committee accept later amendments by unanimous consent.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
We now have a motion on the floor. I will entertain debate.
Go ahead, Mr. Champoux.
Bloc
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
That is the sum of the debate. Is there anyone wishing to speak to this, because if not—
Yes, Clerk.
The Clerk of the Committee Ms. Aimée Belmore
I'm sorry. Did you mean specifically the motion of Mr. Julian? I had the speaking list before he moved his motion.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
He's moved his motion, so we now have a speaking list for the motion.
Can you please tell me the speaking list?
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Thank you, Chair.
The motion that has been moved is that our amendments would be due to the committee by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, and—I believe that I should finish that—if additional amendments are desired, they could be brought forward and passed with unanimous consent.
I think it's been made very clear—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
I'm sorry to disturb you, Ms. Thomas.
I don't think Mr. Julian said that amendments from the floor should be passed with unanimous consent. I don't think that was in his motion.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Perhaps his motion could be circulated so we can see it. Out of respect for our French colleagues, perhaps that could be done in both official languages.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
I have a point of order, Madam Chair. It's a procedural motion, but Mrs. Thomas is right to point out that amendments that come in after that deadline would be accepted by the committee by unanimous consent. I mentioned, in our discussions earlier this week, that the goal is to get things going, so that all the work of translation and production can be done.
At the same time, I certainly recognize Mrs. Thomas's point that amendments will come in after the deadline. My goal is to facilitate that. I think that all four sides of this committee have tabled in good faith, acknowledging that the Conservatives want to bring amendments late, that this isn't a problem and that we accept them—as is tradition—by unanimous consent.
This wouldn't be to block any late amendments, but to allow us to get things going. We've already been working diligently on our amendments, and I know the other parties have as well. We need to get things started, because the production chain takes a long time.
Conservative
Dean Allison Conservative Niagara West, ON
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I know it's not procedurally correct to do a point of order while someone has done a point of order, but I want to relay the issue that the information just shared by my honourable fellow British Columbian Mr. Julian was actually debate. If we are going to use points of order, they should be procedural, not areas that interfere with debate. I believe MP Thomas had the floor.
I will now pull back.
Madam Chair, I hope you will consider ruling on that.
Thank you.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Thank you.
There is nothing to rule on. A question was asked of Mr. Julian: Would he circulate his motion in writing, in English and French? I think that is what Mrs. Thomas was suggesting.
Conservative
