Environment Committee on April 7th, 2008

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Mr. Warawa, again I would remind you, please talk about the amended clause 10 and keep on that specifically, without other references. Keep on that clause, please.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Thank you, Chair.

I believe the record will show that I regularly refer to Bill C-377, clause 10. It is morally reprehensible to see a bill like Bill C-377. It is a bill that the NDP is trying to promote to Canadians as the silver bullet, when in fact there's nothing there. It's a very deceptive bill. It's a dangerous and irresponsible bill that misleads Canadians and tries to use Canadians. I feel quite sad that Mr. Cullen is put in that position that he has to try to defend a bill like Bill C-377.

If you look at clause 10, there's nothing there. It is a bill that is missing the ingredients to see absolute reductions. With respect to my analogy, my parable of people trying to sell a car with no costing, every reasonable person will ask what it will cost and how you prove it gets what you claim in fuel economy. There's nothing of substance. There's no reason anyone would believe that Bill C-377 will do what it says it will do.

On the other hand, with the Turning the Corner plan, we are already seeing positive results. I would encourage the NDP to stop trying to deceive Canadians and to tell the truth about the Turning the Corner plan and the good results we are already seeing.

Chair, I know Mr. Harvey has some very important things he wants to share. My understanding is that he is the next speaker. I would like to stop speaking so we can hear from Mr. Harvey, but I will ask to be put back on the speakers list after Mr. Harvey, because I'm not finished.

Thank you so much.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Mr. Harvey, you're next on my list. I put you down.

Mr. Regan, Mr. Warawa, I had no other speakers. I put him to the bottom. I added him after. There were no other speakers on the list. There was Mr. Harvey, Mr. Regan, Mr. Warawa. So I went to Mr. Regan, then Mr. Warawa, and I put Mr. Harvey to the bottom of the list.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chairman, just to be clear, you're not telling us that, having missed his turn, he asked to be put on the list again because he wasn't here when his turn came up. I mean, we have the choice of whether we're here or not.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

What he asked was to switch with Mr. Warawa, and that was turned down by the committee. He said “If that is it, then I'll go after Warawa”, and that's exactly what I did.

I believe we have to listen to Mr. Harvey. I'm sorry, but I did exactly what would normally be done.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

I don't think Mr. Harvey's on the speakers list any more. He absented himself from the room. We had a discussion about whether or not he could be substituted by Mr. Warawa. We said no, and then you went to the next name on the list, which was Mr. Warawa

. I call for the vote. There is no speaker now.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Well, Mr. Harvey is asking to be on the speakers list.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

I think it's time for us to call a vote.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

I don't believe so.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Why can't we call the vote?

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Because Mr. Harvey is still speaking.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

He's not on the list.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Yes, he is. He asked to be put on the list before he left.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

No, he didn't.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

He did before he left. Since to swap was turned down, he said he would go to the bottom.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

You never told us that earlier. I'm sorry.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

I wrote that down right at the time. He just asked now to be on the speakers list, and the clerk says that's totally all right. I mean, anybody else can get on the speakers list right now.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

We're ready to call the vote, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

We have speakers; I have to listen to the speakers.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

After fifteen hours of filibustering, we need to call the vote.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Mr. Harvey, you have the floor.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

I think Monsieur Bigras had a point of order.

[Bernard Bigras, Bloc, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Chairman, I understood a few minutes ago—and my other colleagues understood the same thing I did, if I'm not mistaken—that Mr. Harvey had lost his turn. Yet now, you are preparing to give him the floor. I would ask you to reconsider your decision and draw certain conclusions.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Mr. Bigras, let me be very clear. Mr. Harvey had explained why he was going to leave. I asked if we could swap. You said no. So Mr. Regan went, then Mr. Warawa went, and Mr. Harvey said “If I can't swap, put me at the bottom of the list”. I did exactly that. You can be on the list as well now. So can Mr. Godfrey. So can Mr. McGuinty. Anybody who wants to be on this list can be on this list, and I have to listen to them.

[Bernard Bigras, Bloc, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

On a point of order, you are correct when you say that anybody who wants to be on the list can, except that, in this case, when Mr. Harvey's turn came up, he wasn't here. You asked us if we were willing to make a change, and we said no. Mr. Regan made a comment, and then you continued with Mr. Warawa. At that point, the list had been completed. So, how is it that you are recognizing Mr. Harvey? He asked for the floor, but how can you give him a turn now, when he just lost his turn?