Information & Ethics Committee on May 28th, 2024

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

I have not finished speaking to my point of order. I would like to outline exactly what happened that helped violate the rules that I have pointed out, which are Standing Order 18 and Standing Order 116(1)—

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

If you feel that way, would you not want to raise a question of privilege, then, similar to what Mr. Bains did?

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

I am raising a point of order because clearly, Mr. Chair, you're going to take a while to rule on any questions of privilege.

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

It's not a point of order if it didn't happen in the meeting. She's talking about Twitter—

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

Sure. Do you know what?

I will be more than happy to raise a question of privilege in that case then.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

We have another question of privilege being brought up by Ms. Khalid.

If you want to go ahead, Ms. Khalid, on your question of privilege, please do.

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

Absolutely, Mr. Chair.

Last week, which was May 21, I believe, during committee, Mr. Brock put out a tweet that said, “Disrespect in ethics committee! The level of disrespect from [Iqra Khalid] during committee is beyond words. Her back is literally turned towards committee members. Disgraceful.”

My understanding of the Standing Orders and the rules of House procedure is that this tweet violates my privilege, Mr. Chair. I will show you exactly how. I will read to you some of the emails I have received. I will talk to you about some of the phone calls I have received—

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

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

No. Please don't interrupt my privilege here—

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

Bear with me, please.

I'm going to suspend for a minute.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

I will call the meeting back to order. I appreciate everyone's patience.

When we left off, we were on Ms. Khalid's question of privilege. I will ask her to continue, but I will ask this, similar to what I asked of Mr. Bains: A question of privilege should be as succinct as it needs to be in relation to the privileges of the member being violated.

Ms. Khalid, I know that you mentioned something about a Twitter post from last week that occurred.

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

[Inaudible—Editor]

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

I'm going to say this with respect: I'm not interested in becoming the Twitter police.

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

Chair, no. No. Do you know what? Point—

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

Let me explain.

If you have an issue with the actions of a member who you feel violated your privilege, then I'm asking you to state specifically where that violation occurred. The outside circumstances or the opinions of others do not matter to this committee. What matters is whether a member feels like their privileges have been violated.

I'll remind members as well, and I'm reminding you, Ms. Khalid, that anything that happens outside of this committee, whether it's a social media post or otherwise, is a matter that can be taken up by the Speaker of the House of Commons. We have seen in the past that points of order or questions of privilege have been raised in the House of Commons, and the Speaker has in some circumstances ruled on those.

Any form of litigation related to this, any Twitter messages...because, look, speaking frankly to the committee, we can go down a very deep rabbit hole on the issue of Twitter.

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

On a point of order, Chair, I'm not sure why you're litigating this matter. I would like to speak to what I have experienced—

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

I'm explaining, again, where my position is, but I—

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

—based on the actions of committee members.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

Right. So explain the actions. That's the point I'm making.

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

I'm absolutely trying to do that, Chair, but you're—

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

Ms. Khalid, respectfully, I don't want to be the Twitter police. I don't want to be a determining factor, or the determinant, of what's appropriate or what's not. We can do that in relation to what a member's action is, but I'm not interested in some numbered Twitter feed of what they're saying.

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

That's exactly what I'm trying to speak to, Chair. That is exactly what I'm trying to speak to.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

I'm going to allow you to continue, with that expectation. Go ahead.

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

Chair, all I want is an apology by a member of this committee for putting my safety and security in jeopardy. That is all I am asking.

I can tell you how much hate I have received on social media. I can read it into the record—how many emails I have received, how many phone calls, people calling me and telling me that I'm a “fucking cunt” because a member feels that I turned my back to him.

I am just trying to look out for myself, Chair. I am trying to look out for my safety.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

Ms. Khalid—