Evidence of meeting #40 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was point.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Clerk of the Committee  Mr. Richard Rumas

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

Russ Hiebert Conservative South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC

I'm sorry, what are we voting on?

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo

Sustaining the chair.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

Russ Hiebert Conservative South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC

On what subject matter?

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo

The amendment by Mr. Wallace is out of order.

(Ruling of the chair sustained: yeas 6; nays 5)

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo

Mr. Wallace, all four amendments are out of order.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON

That doesn't stop me from moving amendments, though, Mr. Chair.

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo

We should try to get something that's—

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON

Here's why I'm having some confusion, Mr. Chair. I just want to tell you why I'm having some.... I want to read to you minutes from our November 22 meeting. You were in the chair. Here's why I'm confused about why you're ruling things out of order.

A motion was moved by Mr. Pat Martin. He moved

That the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics undertake a review of matters related to the Mulroney Airbus libel settlement;

—and I'll get to the point, it's here—

including any and all new evidence, testimony, and information not available at the time of the settlement...

--blah, blah, blah--

...and ethical and code of conduct standards by any public office holders; and to report to the House on its findings, conclusions and recommendations.

Mr. Hubbard moved an amendment that the motion be amended by replacing that with

in order to examine whether there were violations of ethical and code of conduct standards by any office holder...

That is why I'm so confused by your rulings today. You ruled in a previous meeting, where I sat with you as chair, where I was part of it. You put in front of us.... There was a motion, an amendment, talking about public office holders, of people who are no longer here. I want to talk to public office holders, people who were running in the election. They happen to be Liberals. Why can we not call them if that's what we're dealing with?

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON

Because they're Liberals. He doesn't want you to call—

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON

Why can we not call them? I don't get it. If you can tell me the wording to be able to call Liberal public office holders at the time of the 2006 election, if you can help me with the wording, I'd be happy to move it. But I think I've provided the wording at least four times today.

You cannot, Mr. Chair, have the ruling less than six months ago where you allow public office holders from other areas to come. And I'm going to repeat this after you're paying attention.

It's 5:30, I see that. Bang the gavel. Let's go.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON

Let's reverse the decisions on all the other matters that were overruled.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON

He's leaving. Move to adjourn. Let's go.

5:30 p.m.

An hon. member

Are you coming back?

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON

Motion to challenge the chair.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON

Mr. Chair, are you paying attention?

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo

I am consulting with the clerk.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON

So the answer is no.

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo

Order.

Mr. Poilievre, for the fifth time, I'm going to ask you to please not speak out until you're recognized by the chair.

Mr. Wallace, the matters you have just raised are all continuing to debate a chair's ruling that has been sustained by the committee. I don't have to answer those questions. You don't question the--

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON

On another item, Mr. Chair--

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo

Order.

Mr. Hiebert, please speak only when you're recognized. Order.

5:30 p.m.

An hon. member

He's reasoning with you. He's using your own words. Are you defying your own logic?

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo

Mr. Hiebert, for at least the sixth time, you're interrupting the chair. It's persistent. This is disorder; it's misconduct. I'm sorry.

When the chair makes a ruling and a decision is taken by the committee, to continue to debate the matter is improper and is out of order.

Order, Mr. Hiebert.

Mr. Poilievre, you have the floor.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON

What happened to my having the floor?

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo

I'm sorry.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON

What do you mean, “sorry”?