Information & Ethics Committee on Aug. 11th, 2008

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

I can comment.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Excuse me, sir, I have the floor.

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

I've got the floor. I'm raising that on a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

No, sir, you're not. Mr. Del Mastro is on a point of order, sir.

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Are you going to allow me to speak?

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Order, please.

Mr. Del Mastro was in the middle of his questioning and I stopped the clock. So he still has two minutes of his time remaining.

Mr. Proulx, on a point of order, raised the concern about the relevance of sponsorship. Mr. Del Mastro acknowledged that and just wants to go on to his question, so I think it's resolved.

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

I'd like to speak, Chair, on a point of order. Before we start, I want to—

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

No, excuse me, excuse me. Order, please.

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

I have the absolute right to speak to his point of order. You can't ignore that, Mr. Chairman.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Mr. Tilson, thank you.

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

No, you can't. I have every right to respond to his point of order out of courtesy and out of the practice of this committee and out of the practice of this House.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Mr. Tilson, I call you to order, please.

Mr. Tilson, contrary to what you've said, points of order are not debatable, okay? And you may want to check the rules on that.

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Sir, I have the right to respond to his point of order. I do have the right.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

No, sir, you do not. I have made a ruling.

Now, Mr. Del Mastro—

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

You've made a ruling based on what, sir? Give me your rationale as to why you did that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

It's the rules under the Standing Orders.

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Read them to me.

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Chair, I have a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

No, no, no. Hang on.

You know, Mr. Lemieux, when we're in the middle of a point of order, you can't call for a point of order. Okay? Please....

This was very straightforward. It was a simple question of relevance. Mr. Del Mastro acknowledged it and wanted to move on. The matter is over.

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Sir, it's not over until you tell me why I can't respond to his point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Mr. Del Mastro has two minutes remaining in his questions.

Mr. Del Mastro, please proceed.

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

No, no. Sir, I'd like to hear what your authority is. You're looking it up in the book. Take all the time you like. I'd like to know where it is.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Mr. Tilson, I'm familiar with the rules, and you—

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Well, sir, tell me what the rule is.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Excuse me, sir. I've made a ruling.