Canadian Heritage Committee on Oct. 7th, 2022

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Madam Chair, it is my turn to add my voice to those of my colleagues.

I am somewhat surprised to hear my colleague Mr. Nater tell Ms. Saks that if the other members of the committee decide to support Ms. Thomas's proposed motion, the ongoing filibuster will cease. I find that unseemly and a little embarrassing, to be quite honest.

Today we have the only opportunity to get to the bottom of this and talk about this embarrassing situation. The French-speaking community and the Jewish community stand together in this, having both been hurt by unacceptable comments.

I, too, appeal to Ms. Thomas and my Conservative colleagues. We must not be blackmailed, you must stop blocking the work of the committee by forcing us to vote for the motion.

We need to get to the bottom of this and have time to ask our questions of the department officials who are here today.

So I appeal to the common sense and reason of my colleagues, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you, Mr. Champoux.

Again, I have to go by the rules as the chair. The floor is being held by Mrs. Thomas, and she could, in a point of goodwill, decide that she would heed what Mr. Nater said, to move this along, before he asked Ms. Saks about her vote.

You have asked, Mr. Julian has asked, Mr. Coteau has asked, quite a few people have asked that we move this along.

Again, I will ask Mrs. Thomas, who does have the floor according to the rules, if she will actually wind up what she has to say so other people may be able to get on with this, and I may be able to call a vote on her motion when possible.

Mrs. Thomas, people are asking for your goodwill.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Thank you, Madam Chair. I will take the floor again.

With regard to the comment that was made concerning the Jewish community, I appreciate that Ms. Saks is here as a member of that community and wants to use her voice to speak on their behalf. I also have a voice as an elected official in this country. While I myself am not a member of the Jewish community, I do have many friends within the community.

I too have the ability to use my voice. I would ask that this does not be turned into a fight as to who can exercise their voice to the greater extent or in the right way. By asking Minister Rodriguez to this committee is one form of advocacy on the Jewish community.

Through you, Chair, Ms. Saks having an opportunity to ask the officials a question is another form of advocacy, but both are valuable.

With that, I will step back into what is proper protocol for this committee, which is to entertain motions brought forward by duly elected members of Parliament, which I am. I have brought forward a motion to ask for Minister Rodriguez to come to this committee. I am asking for that because there is half a million dollars' worth of funding given through the CRTC to—

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

I have a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Mrs. Thomas, you are being repetitive, I may point out.

Who is that? Kevin, was that your point of order?

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

It's Peter Julian.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Madam Chair—

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Peter, go ahead.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

—I would ask you to ensure it is a true point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Mrs. Thomas, I am running this according to the rules, so please don't tell me how to chair this meeting.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

It was simply a question.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

It wasn't a question. It was a statement, Mrs. Thomas.

Mr. Julian, you have a point of order, please.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Madam Chair, through you to Mrs. Thomas, there is a time to raise a motion. It's not when you sabotage the hearings by cutting off access to ministerial officials.

I would implore, through you, Madam Chair, that Mrs. Thomas simply withdraw the motion so we can actually ask the ministerial representatives the questions we need to ask today, and then we can come back to it at our next meeting.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

I originally asked that when Mrs. Thomas moved her motion, Mr. Julian, and she said she would not. She wanted to deal with it right now.

Indeed, according to the rules she has the ability to do that. I think we have asked for goodwill on this committee, and Mrs. Thomas has made her response to that question.

As the chair, I want to note that during the proceedings when questions were asked, the minister referred to some of his officials to answer those questions, because he did not have some of those answers.

Again, if we are looking for answers, we have officials in the room and they are here until the end of the second hour. When they leave we would have missed an opportunity, as everyone said.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

On a further point of order, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Yes.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Madam Chair, I have just realized that we are debating a motion for which I have not received the French version. I have not received anything in my emails.

I would like you to tell me what needs to be done under the circumstances.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

You don't need 48 hours for such a motion because it is on the current topic.

However, I would like to ask the clerk whether it should have been done orally in French when it was brought out by Mrs. Thomas.

No, there is no need for that, Mr. Champoux. I'm sorry.

[The Clerk of the Committee, Ms. Aimée Belmore]

I would love the text of the motion in one language. It would be very helpful.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

You have not received any text at all from Mrs. Thomas. Okay, thank you.

I'm sorry, Martin, the rules say that she could intervene in one language only, but it would be nice if everyone had the text.

Mrs. Thomas.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Madam Chair, I'm happy to clarify the motion for my colleague. I can read it slowly into the record if that's helpful. Before doing so, Madam Chair, I would love for you to give the current speaking order, please.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

I don't think we have a speaking order, Mrs. Thomas, because you have been the one speaking. People's hands are up—I can see them—but they have not been allowed to speak because you have the floor.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Yes, Madam Chair, thank you. I was curious as to the order. Who is to speak next?

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

I think it would be Mr. Nater, and then it would be Mr. Champoux.

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

I have a point of order, Madam Chair.

The moment that Mrs. Thomas moved her motion, I put my hand up in the room. I don't think the clerk saw me, but I put it up quite quickly, so I do believe that I may be first.