Evidence of meeting #13 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was agents.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Michael Ferguson  Auditor General of Canada, Office of the Auditor General of Canada
Marc Mayrand  Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
Mary Dawson  Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner

11:30 a.m.

Conservative

Mark Adler Conservative York Centre, ON

I don't know what they're going to say, and I'm not going to anticipate. I can only speak—

11:30 a.m.

Liberal

Scott Andrews Liberal Avalon, NL

But do you think it's a good thing for them to appear before the committee on this bill?

11:30 a.m.

Conservative

Mark Adler Conservative York Centre, ON

Mr. Andrews, they will appear, and you will have ample time, I'm assuming, to ask them questions.

11:30 a.m.

Liberal

Scott Andrews Liberal Avalon, NL

But is that a good idea for them to come before this committee to discuss your bill?

11:30 a.m.

Conservative

Mark Adler Conservative York Centre, ON

Listen, I'm here at committee. I'm here in the spirit of fulsome discussion of Bill C-520. That's why I'm here.

11:30 a.m.

Liberal

Scott Andrews Liberal Avalon, NL

Do you think they should appear before the committee to discuss their past involvement and their lives prior to being elected to Parliament, how they actually got their jobs? These individuals are there now. How did they go through the process of being—

11:30 a.m.

Conservative

Mark Adler Conservative York Centre, ON

Quite frankly, I don't know what you're talking about, because it's not within Bill C-520. I don't—

11:30 a.m.

Liberal

Scott Andrews Liberal Avalon, NL

Their names are in Bill C-520. I'm just wondering if it's a good idea for them to come here to discuss your bill.

11:30 a.m.

Conservative

Mark Adler Conservative York Centre, ON

I don't know. You'll have to ask them that question when they appear.

11:30 a.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Pat Martin

Mr. Andrews, I'm afraid your seven minutes are up. Thank you.

The Conservatives are going to split their time, with Mr. Calandra first and then Mr. Zimmer.

11:30 a.m.

Conservative

Paul Calandra Conservative Oak Ridges—Markham, ON

Thank you.

Mr. Andrews has brought this up with respect to your past. I guess he doesn't look at elections.ca to see when people donate to political parties. He's probably never heard of the website, I guess.

You of course aren't the only person who has been a Liberal in his past. There are many people who have been Liberals in their past. I, too, was once a Liberal, when I was about 14 or 15, and then I grew up and got educated and became a Conservative.

Since Mr. Andrews is so concerned about your past, I'm wondering if you could help explain what it was that so turned you off the Liberals. Was it the fact that they always broke election promises? Was it the fact that they promised to get rid of the GST and lied about that? Was it the fact that they promised to enact Kyoto, but then admitted that they actually never had any intention of doing it because it was just really a—

11:30 a.m.

NDP

Mathieu Ravignat NDP Pontiac, QC

Point of order, Mr. Chair.

11:30 a.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Pat Martin

We have a point of order from Mr. Ravignat.

11:30 a.m.

NDP

Mathieu Ravignat NDP Pontiac, QC

Mr. Chair, with all due respect to my honourable colleague and his questions, I'm here, as I think most of us are, to hear about Bill C-520. I think this line of questioning is irrelevant and not particularly on subject, so I'd like you to rule on that, Mr. Chair.

11:30 a.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Pat Martin

The point of order is one on relevance. I'm inclined to agree that you do have a point.

Mr. Calandra, could you limit your questioning to something at least related to Bill C-520.

11:30 a.m.

Conservative

Paul Calandra Conservative Oak Ridges—Markham, ON

Can I actually finish the question then, Mr. Chair? Is that okay with you?

11:35 a.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Pat Martin

As long as you can bring it around to Bill C-520.

11:35 a.m.

Conservative

Paul Calandra Conservative Oak Ridges—Markham, ON

Of all of those things, since it was actually brought up by Mr. Andrews in his questioning and apparently now they're not interested in hearing the answer to the question that they brought up, I'm wondering if you could also then share with the committee, because it seems to be a point of contention, what it was that turned you off the Liberals and made you want to come forward and serve as a Conservative member of Parliament?

11:35 a.m.

Conservative

Mark Adler Conservative York Centre, ON

Thank you very much—

11:35 a.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Pat Martin

Mr. Calandra, if I'm going to be consistent on relevance, really I don't know if that has any bearing on Bill C-520.

11:35 a.m.

Conservative

Paul Calandra Conservative Oak Ridges—Markham, ON

Mr. Chair, sorry, it was brought up actually by Mr. Andrews. I didn't—

11:35 a.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Pat Martin

Yes, but nobody called a point of order on relevance on Mr. Andrews. He can use his seven minutes as he sees fit.

You've been called into line by a legitimate point of order. I don't see the relevance.

Therefore, if you have any other questions—

11:35 a.m.

Conservative

Paul Calandra Conservative Oak Ridges—Markham, ON

I challenge your ruling, Chair. I'd like to hear the question answered.

11:35 a.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Pat Martin

The chair has been challenged.

[Ruling of the chair overturned]

The ruling of the chair has been overturned.

11:35 a.m.

A voice

It's time for the kangaroo court.