Evidence of meeting #24 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.
5:20 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
He did lose his turn. Let's ask Mr. Harvey if he requested to be put at the bottom of the list when he left.
Mr. Harvey.
5:20 p.m.
Conservative
Luc Harvey Conservative Louis-Hébert, QC
The first thing I want to point out to my colleagues is that I went to see Bob and the clerk to inform them that I would have to leave for 15 or 20 minutes. I asked what the procedure was, and the clerk told me that the turns could be switched. I made it known that I wanted to speak on this. Since I wasn't there, I am waiting for my turn to speak. Perhaps the clerk could simply be asked whether switching my turn or putting it elsewhere on the list is feasible or not. I believe my request was both legal and acceptable.
5:20 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
Mr. Bigras, just to address your point, you can be put on the list at any time. You can speak now. Anybody can get on the list now, and we continue to speak as long as there are speakers on this list. This list isn't a final list. It doesn't at a certain moment in time become a final list. It's an ongoing list. Those are just the rules.
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON
Mr. Bigras is entirely right. You had a list. You asked this committee for permission to substitute Mr. Warawa for Mr. Harvey, and it was turned down. Everybody here on this side of the table said no. Mr. Harvey has just reappeared. If it was so important for him to debate this motion, he never would have left this room. He has just reappeared, and now you're putting him back, arbitrarily, on the list.
And, Mr. Chair, I asked for this vote to be called before you asked him to speak. So I would like this vote on this amendment, on this clause, to be called, because I've asked for it, and you had no active speakers on the list.
5:20 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
Mr. McGuinty, basically, as I said, this is not a finite list. This list can be added to at any time. Anybody else can speak. Mr. Watson can be put back on the list if that's what he's requesting, and so can anybody else.
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON
For rhetorical purposes, Mr. Chair, through you to the clerk, I would ask, once there is no one formally on the speakers list—
5:20 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
But there was. He's on here. He was put on here as soon as you turned down his request to swap.
5:20 p.m.
An hon member
I requested it.
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON
You're not permitted to request for another member.
Can I ask the clerk, through you...?
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON
Please. In theoretical terms, Mr. Chair, through you to the clerk, if there is no one on the speakers list and a member has asked for the vote to be called, what is the procedure?
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
Can everybody cool it for a minute, please?
Basically, the clerk advises me that this is not a ruling, this is just a fact that anybody can be put on this list. Anybody can be put on now, or as long as we care to be here we can add to that list.
By the rules of this House, we have to listen to people who want to speak to a motion. I can't change the rules; you know I don't have the power to do that. It's not a ruling. It's nothing. It's just how it is.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON
In that case, Mr. Chair, if I might respond to this point of order, and thank you for the advice from the clerk, that means that conceivably there's a never-ending list of speakers. You can arbitrarily add my name, if you wish, or someone else's name. But I'd like to ask you this: now that we have one speaker, you say we have a speaker on the list and none other.... These indications for interest to speak came after my request for this vote to be called, after I asked for the vote to be called. So can I please get a ruling from the clerk? I have asked for a vote to be called at this committee on this clause. There are no more speakers, in the estimation, I think, of all the opposition parties on this side of the House, and I think we deserve to have the vote called. Despite the efforts of the government and the protestations to continue with a desperate filibuster, it is just simply not acceptable.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
Again, from the clerk, as long as people want to speak to a motion, they are allowed to speak to that motion, and there are people who want to speak to that motion. We can add your name, as you suggested. We can add as many names as we want to this list, and that's what the rules are.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON
What about this question of the request made to call the vote?
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON
There weren't speakers when I asked for the vote to be called.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
I was fully aware that Mr. Harvey wanted to speak, and so was the clerk.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
I assume, certainly, Mr. Harvey knew that he had requested to speak.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal