Evidence of meeting #116 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was amendment.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Sophie Chatel Liberal Pontiac, QC
I'm asking for clarification. I travelled here to debate another motion. So I don't understand why you immediately gave the floor to someone who wanted to move another motion.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
It's because he raised his hand. He was quick enough to do that. Also, his motion concerns the topic at hand, which is why we are meeting today. So he didn't have to give notice.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
We will debate Mr. Deltell's motion. Then Ms. Pauzé can move hers.
Ms. Pauzé now has the floor.
Hold on. There's another point of order.
Conservative
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
I'm asking for clarification. Are you recognizing Ms. Pauzé on a point of order?
Liberal
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
True, he hasn't done that yet.
Mr. Deltell, you have the floor.
Then it will be Ms. Pauzé's turn and Mr. van Koeverden's.
Mr. Drouin, you have already spoken.
Liberal
Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
No, I haven't spoken yet, but let Mr. Deltell speak, and then I'll speak.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Okay.
After Mr. Deltell, it will be your turn, then it will be Ms. Pauzé's, Mr. van Koeverden's and Mr. Martel's turn.
Mr. Deltell, you have the floor.
Conservative
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
First of all, I wasn't any quicker than anybody else. I simply applied the standing orders. We have a standing order allowing us to move motions and debate them.
I want to point out that we're gathered here to talk about the Liberals' excessively harsh order involving forestry workers and the lives of the caribou. This is an important matter, and the motion I put forward is entirely related to it.
We see that the federal government unfortunately has a bad habit of imposing orders and, above all, imposing itself in areas of provincial jurisdiction. We're talking about 2,000 jobs at stake here. Two thousand jobs is two thousand families. Those 2,000 people, their families and loved ones, are waiting. We have a federal government that's meddling in areas of provincial jurisdiction, while the Government of Quebec has all the jurisdiction it needs to act. Beyond all the legal battles that could arise, there is a human reality, and that is the reality of workers.
We in the Conservative Party believe that we can properly combine the economy and the environment. We certainly believe that the caribou need to be saved, but the jobs need to be saved as well. This doesn't just affect one part of the province. On the weekend in my riding, on Racine Street, during an event called Racine au coeur des arts, I met people who were affected by this situation. They demanded that we do the right thing for workers and at the same time protect the environment.
Mr. Chair, this motion that we're putting forward will get to the bottom of things, with four ministers who have to testify here—most of them are members from Quebec, by the way—so that we can do the right thing for the workers while saving the caribou.
This motion seeks to do that.
Liberal
Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
Thank you.
Out of respect for those who signed the letter requesting this meeting pursuant to Standing Order 106(4), I move that the debate be adjourned.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
So we have to go to a vote.
(Motion agreed to: yeas 7; nays 4)
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Ms. Pauzé, you have the floor. I assume that it's about something other than Mr. Deltell's motion.
Bloc
Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC
Thank you.
I want to start by saying that I'm a bit surprised to see the Conservatives table an emergency motion this morning, when I've been trying to reach them since August 2 and there was no indication that they were online or available in any way.
The Bloc Québécois worked on the motion that was introduced and signed—
Conservative
Conservative
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
Mr. Chair, let me set the record straight. People can't attribute motives to their colleagues. I'd like to point out that since the beginning of July, the Conservative Party has been asking for emergency meetings on the situation surrounding Mr. Guilbeault's radical order on the Boreal caribou, which could kill 2,000 jobs—
Liberal
Sophie Chatel Liberal Pontiac, QC
Mr. Chair, I don't know if he wants to tell us about his vacation, but I don't think that's a point of order—
Conservative
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
Mr. Chair, I just want to clarify that it's the Bloc—
Liberal