My point of order relates to Standing Order 108(3)(h)(vi). This motion is clearly out of order, as it falls outside the mandate of the committee, as stated in the earlier-mentioned standing order, where the committee is mandated to look into the “proposing, promoting, monitoring and assessing” of information and privacy “across all sectors of Canadian society and to ethical standards relating to public officer holders”. Based on your own rulings on this standing order, Chair, you must rule that this motion is out of order, as it exceeds the scope of the committee as set up by the House of Commons.
In regard to public office holders, the definitions that you used in the previous discussions on Elections Canada in this committee clearly ruled out investigation of those who are not public office holders. As members know, public office holders are cabinet ministers, secretaries of state, parliamentary secretaries, as well as Governor-in-Council appointees. So this particular motion does not pertain to public office holders.
Some others might make arguments about whether or not there's overlap between members of Parliament and public office holders, but what we have here in this motion is public funds by “Conservative members of Parliament”. There's a difference between members of Parliament and public office holders. So, as written, this motion is out of order and it is outside of the competence of the committee that we are charged with running. I ask you to consider that point of order.