Evidence of meeting #23 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:50 p.m.
Liberal
David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON
Through you, Mr. Chair, could the clerk tell us now exactly how long Mr. Warawa has been speaking since this meeting began at 3:30 p.m. It is now ten minutes to five, Eastern Standard Time.
In the rules providing for the operation of these committees, Mr. Chair, is it possible to start tracking now the actual minutes and hours of a filibuster per member?
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
Mr. McGuinty, I have attempted to track various things in my career here, such as how long ministers' cars idled out front of the Parliament Buildings and so on, and have had difficulty getting that information.
4:50 p.m.
Liberal
David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON
Do the rules of the committee allow you, sir, as chair of the committee, as part of this point of order...? Can the clerk tell us if we can start recording? It is important so that we can divulge to the constituents of the members how long they filibustered for themselves.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
We'll keep track of how long each person has spoken. Of course, in checking the blues from the past, we could easily get those numbers. From now on, that will be tracked at your request.
4:50 p.m.
Liberal
David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON
Thank you, sir.
Is it possible now, just approximately, Mr. Chair, to know how long Mr. Warawa has been filibustering this committee since we began today?
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
That would be very difficult, because we've had so many points of order so far that I couldn't tell you how long, simply because I don't know.
4:50 p.m.
Liberal
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
Well, you know, I think we called the meeting to order at close to 3:30.
4:50 p.m.
Liberal
David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON
Then we will start tracking, Mr. Chair, the length of filibuster per member?
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
We are tracking at this point, correct. We will deduct when we have points of order and so on, because obviously that is only fair to the speaker.
4:50 p.m.
Liberal
David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON
And we can start making that public? We'll make sure of that.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
On the same point of order, we now have the clerk recording these times, so everybody is clear on that.
4:50 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
As something to make that perhaps more effective, I would seek to move that there be a maximum time limit of two minutes with debate--
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
4:50 p.m.
NDP
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
There are two problems with your motion. One, it's being made on a point of order, which cannot happen. The second reason it can't happen is that it's on a clause, clause 10.
Those are simply the rules. They're not my interpretation of the rules; they're the rules as they are written.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
4:50 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Right.
Chair, you know we've spoken often. I have the greatest respect for your work, and I appreciate your chairmanship. But many of us--I won't speak for them--and many watching are deeply frustrated with this.
It's not with an easiness that we do this, but it's important for us to allow the environment committee to no longer be filibustered. It's about all of our work, not just this bill. I challenge your ruling.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
I stated what the rules are. I have to do that. That's my job. It's a ruling, I guess, and can be interpreted that way.
4:55 p.m.
Conservative
4:55 p.m.
An hon. member
I have a point of order.