Information & Ethics Committee on Oct. 8th, 2020

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

You made a reference to our adjournment time, and it was verified by the clerk. I took a moment to review adjournment, and this is something that came up during some of our summer sessions with respect to adjournment.

In Bosc and Gagnon, in chapter 20, on page 1099, it says,

The committee Chair cannot adjourn the meeting without the consent of a majority of the members, unless the Chair decides that a case of disorder or misconduct is so serious as to prevent the committee from continuing its work.

Therefore, I withhold my consent to adjourn the meeting at 1 p.m.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Understood, Mr. Barrett. You're absolutely correct in regard to the majority of the committee continuing the meeting. We were talking about adjournment. There's a subtle difference, but there is a difference. You are on record in that regard.

Now, I still have a list of speakers here: Mr. Sorbara, Mr. Warkentin, Madam Gaudreau—

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Mr. Chair, that was to the motion on which we adjourned debate.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

That's correct, Mr. Barrett. I was just confirming with this speakers list that those people were all lined up for that motion.

Are the names that I mentioned correct? I see they are.

All right. Let me go back to my list.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Am I next on your list, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

That's correct, Mr. Barrett. You are.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

I have a point of order. My understanding is that to go past one o'clock, we need unanimous consent. The issue is that I have to prepare for other work with the House.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

It is my understanding that we have the resources to go past 1 p.m. The only way we can adjourn is with the majority of the committee members saying that they wish an adjournment.

Go ahead, Mr. Fergus.

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Chair, I'd like to move that we adjourn the meeting at this time.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Give me a moment, colleagues. Then we'll get back to Mr. Fergus's motion.

All right, Mr. Fergus has moved a motion to adjourn. Is there consensus in that regard?

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Could we have a recorded vote, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

We will need a recorded vote, Madam Clerk.

[The Clerk]

I will call the recorded division. All those in favour, please say yea when your name is called. All those opposed, please say nay.

[Some hon. members]

Yea.

Nay.

[The Clerk]

The results are five in favour and five against, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

All right, colleagues. My job as the chair would be to maintain the status quo and business as usual, unless there is a resource issue because of the COVID-19 situation we are in.

I have to check with the clerk in that regard. If there is no resource issue, we can continue.

[The Clerk]

It is confirmed that there are no resource issues.

(Motion negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Okay. The motion has been defeated. We will go to Mr. Barrett.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

I have a motion I'd like to move.

[Han Dong, Liberal, Don Valley North, ON]

I have a point of order, Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Go ahead, Mr. Dong.

[Han Dong, Liberal, Don Valley North, ON]

Just to clarify—sorry, Mr. Barrett—is the meeting going on until the bells start to ring? I believe there is some preparation I need to do for question period.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

The meeting will continue on as long as the consent of the committee is maintained, Mr. Dong, and that is by the majority of the committee at the moment. Our adjournment will be at the bells or when there is another action by the committee.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

I will request through you, Chair, that the clerk transmit to all members of the committee this motion, which is in both official languages. I'll read it into the record:

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(1)(a), an order of the Committee do issue to Speakers' Spotlight for a copy of all records pertaining to speaking appearances arranged since October 14, 2008, for Justin Trudeau, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, Margaret Trudeau and Alexandre Trudeau—including, in respect of each speaking appearance, an indication of the fee provided, any expenses that were reimbursed and the name of the company, organization, person or entity booking it—which had been originally ordered to be produced on July 22, 2020, by the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, provided that these documents shall be provided to the Clerk of the Committee within 24 hours of the adoption of this motion; and that the documents be reviewed in camera.

[Brenda Shanahan, Liberal, Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC]

Mr. Chair—