Evidence of meeting #94 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 point.
A recording is available from Parliament.
8:40 a.m.
Conservative
8:40 a.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
I'm sorry, Mr. Chair, but with all due respect, according to the Standing Orders and according to your chairmanship, I had the floor. The reason I was given the floor is that this is a whole new meeting. It's a business meeting, and I was the first one with my hand up and therefore acknowledged by the chair. I then moved a motion. It is not required to pick up this meeting where the last one left off, because the last meeting was not suspended. It was adjourned. I moved my motion. Mr. Julian doesn't like my motion, so he would like to take control of this meeting.
8:40 a.m.
An hon. member
I have a point of order.
8:40 a.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Mr. Chair, Peter Julian was on a point of order when he moved a motion to challenge you, which, I believe, if you confer with the clerk, is not permitted. I would like confirmation on that.
8:40 a.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Kevin Waugh
Thank you, Mrs. Thomas.
We have a couple of points of order here. Let me confer with the clerk for a second.
Mr. Coteau, you were first. Go ahead.
8:40 a.m.
Liberal
Michael Coteau Liberal Don Valley East, ON
We know that points of order cannot be debated. Let's get to the vote, Mr. Chair.
8:40 a.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Kevin Waugh
There was another point of order.
Mr. Julian, did you have your hand up? I could be wrong.
8:40 a.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
I would ask Mrs. Thomas, through you, that she refer to all members respectfully. I realize she said she wanted to turn the committee into hell, but she still needs to be respectful of each member of this committee.
I would ask you to enforce that, please.
8:40 a.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Kevin Waugh
We would like to suspend for two minutes. The clerk and I are going to confer, if you don't mind.
8:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Kevin Waugh
We're going to resume the meeting.
I am going to let the clerk read out the interpretation. We've spent some time going through the video of what was said, so I'm just going to let the clerk read out what it says.
October 26th, 2023 / 8:55 a.m.
Committee Clerk
In the book, page 1062, states, “A member of a committee may move a motion at any time in the normal course of a meeting, provided that:...the member has the floor to move the motion and is not doing so on a point of order.”
The question is whether the chair will decide that it was a point of order.
8:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Kevin Waugh
We went through the video from Mr. Champoux to Mr. Julian, and there was no point of order.
8:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Kevin Waugh
Now there is a point of order. You can't even let me finish here, but go ahead.
8:55 a.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
Let's not delay this any further. That is your interpretation.
8:55 a.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
The reference that the clerk just gave is not about the issue that was raised by Mr. Champoux and me, which is that we had a subamendment on the floor that the chair of the committee had foreseen and that continues, as it has for the last three meetings. This has been the normal committee practice, so that motion was on the floor.
Yes, Mrs. Thomas still had the floor, there's no doubt, but that was on your subamendment. That is what I'm challenging in terms of interpretation, so—
8:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Kevin Waugh
That's fine. The challenge, though, Mr. Julian, is that if you had said “point of order”, then it would have come back to me and you would not have had the floor. It would have gone back to the original motion that Mrs. Thomas made when we came in here. That's why we went through the video, to see in fact whether you said “point of order” after Mr. Champoux, which you didn't. You never said “point of order”.
8:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Kevin Waugh
That changes everything. I'm sorry. That will change everything. Then it's up to me to decide under this where we go next.
8:55 a.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
I'm challenging your ruling, with respect, as I think you've been very good as the chair.
8:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Kevin Waugh
No, that's fine. That's why we went through the video.
Now you're telling me you said “a point of order”.