Information & Ethics Committee on June 10th, 2010

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

Okay, so it is linked, then.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

It is linked only from the standpoint that they can understand the import of the draft motion that was put and about the wording and why the wording is here. In any event, it does not presume any--

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

Who does it refer to?

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Just to correct, it does not presume a decision or speculate on a decision of the House. This is simply information about what happens and what is the range of possibilities if a witness does not appear before a committee when called.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

Clearly the motion is making reference to these three potential witnesses.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

No.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

Then you've just ruled that motion out of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

No.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

For a motion to be in order--

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

No, no--

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

It's now my speaking time and I'm going to use it in the following way--

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Excuse me, sir. Mr. Poilievre, that's not the impact. You made a decision--

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

Whose speaking time are you now taking, Chair?

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

There is no speaking time. It's unlimited, as you know. Members can speak as long as they want as long as they maintain relevance.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

As I am.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

This is information that the member suggests we need to understand how serious the issue is.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

All right.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

It helps them to appreciate why we would have to report this. It is not to prejudge this, because we have no power to do that. We're certainly not going to speculate on what the House might do.

So don't suggest that the Freeman motion is out of order because it doesn't name these three people. It is information for the committee. That's what the motion does. I ruled it in order and we've been debating it for an hour. Okay?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

I'm on my speaking time now. Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

I will give you the floor, but the chair will make decisions on whether or not it's in order, and it is in order. Okay?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

I think you've made two decisions. At the outset, you decided that it was linked to the subject at hand, and then you intervened spontaneously in the middle of my remarks to say that it was not a link to these three individuals--

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Thank you, Mr. Poilievre.

I'm going to move on now to Mr. Siksay.

You will not debate the chair.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

A point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

You will not debate the chair.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

A point of order, Mr. Chair.