Canadian Heritage Committee on June 2nd, 2022

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you.

The motion is defeated. We will continue with the debate.

Thank you.

[Alexie Labelle]

Madam Chair, would you mind if I provide you with the speaking order that was there before?

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

That would be wonderful, because I can only see the Zoom one.

Thank you.

[Alexie Labelle]

There was Mr. Champoux, Mr. Patzer and then Ms. Thomas. After that it was Mr. Julian.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

All right. It's Champoux, Patzer, Thomas and Julian.

Thank you very much.

Mr. Champoux, the floor is yours.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I want to say to the witnesses that I too am sorry that we are taking longer than expected. I thank them for their patience.

We had already debated this motion. I thought we had thoroughly examined it and all members had expressed their opinions on it. It should only have taken a minute, yes. If we had voted quickly, Mr. Bittle could have continued asking questions afterwards, but that's another story.

Madam Chair, I would like a clarification from Mr. Bittle. I just want to make sure that I don't lose my turn to speak after he answers my question. Can you confirm that I'm going to get the floor after that?

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Once this motion has been dealt with, yes, we will resume the orders of the day for the rest of the hour that we have.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Actually, Madam Chair, I'd just like to get a clarification from Mr. Bittle, because he proposed that the committee proceed to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-11. When does he intend that the committee begin clause-by-clause? Is he proposing that it start on Monday? Is that the date he has in mind?

I will resume after his answer, please.

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

Perhaps on a point of clarification, Madam Chair, I would—

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you.

Mr. Bittle, will you please respond to the question?

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

On a point of clarification, so Monsieur Champoux can keep the floor, yes, it would be on Monday that we would start clause-by-clause.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you.

Thank you, Monsieur Champoux. Have you finished?

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

No, I haven't finished.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Go ahead, then.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

I also want to express my opinion on this motion, which I think is very important and which we have already debated, as I said earlier. We've thoroughly examined it. Anything else would probably be a bit of bad faith, but we could be surprised.

Out of respect for the witnesses here, we should proceed quickly. I think we all agree and know where we stand with this bill. We heard 20 hours of evidence, as our conservative friends had asked us to do. We accepted that very willingly. My colleague Mr. Nater will be able to confirm that, because it was he who proposed that evidence be given for 20 hours in total.

So we can very well agree that the deadline for tabling amendments will be Friday, at 4 p.m., as proposed in Mr. Julian's motion. Then, we can start clause-by-clause consideration of this very important bill on Monday, at our next scheduled meeting.

I hope that we will have the good sense to hurry up and vote on this important motion.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you, Mr. Champoux.

I will go to Mr. Patzer.

[Jeremy Patzer, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Thank you very much.

I think, with a bill like this, obviously, it's very important to hear from as many witnesses as possible. We have a few more yet to go. I would like to see a copy of the motion. I don't have one. There are a few people who are newer to the committee here, so it would be nice to have a copy of the motion in both languages before us. I realize there are probably multiple motions out there and it would be nice to have copies of the motion in both official languages, so it's clear exactly what it is we are considering here, and potentially voting on.

I'm wondering if it would be possible to get that done.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Mr. Patzer, I'd like to clarify. Do you mean the motion we're dealing with now?

[Jeremy Patzer, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Yes, that's the one.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

All right. It was a very simple motion, but if you wish to see it in writing, I'm certain Mr. Bittle could send it to the clerk, and the clerk will distribute it to everyone.

Until we get that distribution, I suspect—

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

I have a point of order, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

I don't know who—

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

Madam Chair, it's Chris Bittle.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Yes.

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

This motion was approved by the committee. We debated it for an hour yesterday. The motion is before the committee. The motion is very simple: to set a deadline for clause-by-clause by 4 p.m. If Mr. Patzer wants to turn on translation services to hear that in French, I'll say it again: The motion is to set a deadline for clause—

Oh, he didn't put in his earpiece.

Mr. Patzer, if you want to turn to the French channel—