Environment Committee on April 1st, 2008

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

I do not.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Can I ask the clerk, then, under this point of order, whether you are obliged, as chair, to actually call for expressions of interest from us, as members of this committee, before you write the names down in the speaking order?

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

We can check the blues, but I did say that I have on the list the following speakers, and no one's hand went up anywhere else in the room.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

I don't recollect that, Mr. Chair. You will forgive me. I don't know if anybody else recollects that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

That's the clerk's recollection of what the blues will tell us. We can check the blues to make sure.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Can we check those immediately?

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

They're not printed until after the meeting, are they? By tomorrow morning we can verify that I said that.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

So you have no discretion to break this filibuster here, this order of speaking filibuster?

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

I don't, not as the chair of this committee.

[An hon. member]

We change the speaking order all the time. If somebody's in the washroom, we change the speaking order.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

I can certainly do it, unless someone complains.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Why don't I propose that we actually conduct this committee...?

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

No one's going to agree to that. I need unanimous consent to change that, and we're not going to get agreement. I think--

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

I'd like to get that on the record. As part of this point of order--

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

I think you're pushing the point of order, Mr. McGuinty.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

--I'd like to propose that you revisit the speaking order so we can get a fair debate here.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Let me ask the question. Do I have any interest here in changing the speaking order?

[An hon. member]

Yes.

[An hon. member]

No.

[An hon. member]

Alternate it. Government, opposition....

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

I have a no. It is not unanimous. Let's carry on.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Who's the no from, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

The no is from the members.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Which members?