Evidence of meeting #30 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 chair.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Andrew Cash  President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Independent Music Association
Jay Goldberg  Director, Ontario, Canadian Taxpayers Federation
Sam Norouzi  Vice President and General Manager, ICI Television
Alexie Labelle  Legislative Clerk
Andrea Kokonis  Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel, Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada
Philippe Méla  Legislative Clerk

4:55 p.m.

Legislative Clerk

Alexie Labelle

Madam Chair, just before Mr. Perkins speaks, Ms. Thomas is asking if she can have the floor again because you issued your ruling and she would like to speak on her amendment before Mr. Perkins speaks.

4:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

It would be up to Mr. Perkins who has the floor to know if he would give the floor back or cede it to Mrs. Thomas.

4:55 p.m.

Conservative

Rick Perkins Conservative South Shore—St. Margarets, NS

I certainly would, but I think the mover of the motion usually gets to speak to their motion first before the speakers list happens.

4:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Perkins. I think we should have Ms. Thomas speak then.

4:55 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

Thank you.

Madam Chair, since your intention was to hear from the minister, then I would move a motion to adjourn this debate for the moment. Of course, this motion can be brought back after we have heard from the minister.

4:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Is there any opposition on the floor to—

4:55 p.m.

Liberal

Chris Bittle Liberal St. Catharines, ON

Yes.

4:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

—adjourning the debate?

I don't know who said yes, so can you please identify yourself?

4:55 p.m.

Liberal

Chris Bittle Liberal St. Catharines, ON

It's Chris Bittle. I am opposed.

4:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Yes, Chris Bittle, you're opposed.

Then I guess we're going to have to call a vote.

4:55 p.m.

Legislative Clerk

Alexie Labelle

Do you want me to proceed with a—

4:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Yes, Mr. Housefather.

4:55 p.m.

Liberal

Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC

On a point of order, Madam Chair, I'm wondering whether the mover of a motion can move to adjourn debate on their own motion right after they propose it? I don't think that's the case.

4:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

There is no clear ruling on that, Mr. Housefather, but perhaps I will entertain the clerk's advice on this.

4:55 p.m.

Legislative Clerk

Alexie Labelle

I believe they can. I'm just waiting for confirmation.

4:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Yes, I think they can.

5 p.m.

Legislative Clerk

Alexie Labelle

Madam Chair, I have confirmation that a mover can move a motion to adjourn debate on their own motion.

5 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

I thought that was the ruling: that she could move to adjourn or to postpone her own debate.

The question is, we have opposition on the floor right now from Mr. Bittle, so I will call the question with regard to this motion to adjourn, which is not debatable, by the way.

Let's just call the question, please.

5 p.m.

Legislative Clerk

Alexie Labelle

The motion is to adjourn debate on Ms. Thomas's amendment.

(Motion negatived: nays 7; yeas 4 [See Minutes of Proceedings])

5 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Thank you.

The debate is not adjourned. I think we need to go back to the floor.

Go ahead, Ms. Thomas.

5 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

Thank you very much.

I'm a little bit surprised by my colleagues. Certainly, it seems that they would perhaps be playing shield or defence on behalf of the minister, preventing the opportunity for him to speak and to be asked questions and to speak on this piece of legislation—

5 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

This is debate on your motion to adjourn. Can you please continue now with your actual motion? We have decided that it is not allowed to be adjourned, so can you continue to speak to your amendment, please?

5 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

Sure, Madam Chair. I'd love to. Thank you.

The amendment I have moved is that the deadline for the amendments be three days before the start of clause-by-clause. Of course, we're talking about the time frame that is being granted in order to bring forward those amendments that we might have for Bill C-11.

Madam Chair, you'll recall that this committee agreed to hearing from witnesses for a minimum of some 20 hours. Actually, further to that, the motion, in its original form, said four meetings for five hours each. Obviously, that form has not been followed. We did not do four meetings at five hours each. The meetings have been more sporadic and for a lesser amount of time. Nevertheless, we're in good faith honouring that, but the original motion was for a minimum of 20 hours of witness testimony—

5:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

As a correction, I have read and reread that motion. There was no minimum included in it.

Thank you very much.

5:05 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

Madam Chair, was there a maximum included in it?