Evidence of meeting #146 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 44th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was tickets.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
Thank you for that, Mr. Barrett.
I actually did read the order of precedence last week as it relates to the King's coronation medal. You're quite right on that.
Go ahead, Ms. Khalid.
Liberal
Liberal
Darren Fisher Liberal Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS
Feeling that someone's comment is absurd is a whole lot different from saying “you are absurd”. I would ask Mr. Barrett if he would apologize for that comment.
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
He already said that he's not going to apologize.
Go ahead, Ms. Khalid. You have the floor.
Liberal
Iqra Khalid Liberal Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON
Thank you, Chair.
I'm not very surprised. Rudeness is quite common in some places. I was making a point about the perception of how taxpayer dollars are used. I'm sorry that he was so offended.
Oh, look—I can apologize. That's fine.
I will perhaps also talk about a Hungarian think tank that was run by a Conservative MP who used taxpayer dollars to spend tens of thousands of dollars on sponsored travel all across the world. Looking to see who benefits from sponsored travel is something that we had tried to study in this committee as well: How should sponsored travel be used? Should MPs be entitled to take taxpayer dollars and spend them across the world, or should those taxpayer dollars be staying here in Canada?
If we're so worried about how taxpayer dollars are used and about how the Conflict of Interest Act applies, then we need to make sure that we have a well-rounded approach to how that happens and not just say, “Oh, if you're a Liberal, you must be violating something.”
Liberal
Darren Fisher Liberal Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS
I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.
We were sitting over here very quietly listening when they were speaking. Every time Iqra says something that they don't agree with, they commiserate amongst themselves and make noise. Could we just—
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
We won't be silent during their foolishness.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
Mr. Barrett, please....
Mr. Fisher, I hear talking on this side. I don't think it's disrupting the meeting. If it was disrupting the meeting, then I would call it out. It's quite common. I've also heard conversations that happen from your side. I've called it out in the past when it becomes disruptive, and I'll continue to call it out.
Go ahead, Ms. Khalid.
Liberal
Iqra Khalid Liberal Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON
Thank you, Chair.
You know, again, I find it really telling that all of a sudden there are big whispers and potential disruptions in this committee. It's because they don't want to hear what I have to say. They don't want to study, as we have tried to do with the help of the Bloc and with the help of the NDP, all these issues in a very non-partisan way, to say that we have an issue with the Conflict of Interest Act, potentially.
We have a way here in this committee to review that act based on the kinds of transactions that have happened in the past, whether by Conservatives or anyone else, yet, as Mr. Villemure said, I have sat on this committee year after year, listening to a whole bunch of hay and not getting any work—any work—done.
How many reports have we really tabled so far, Mr. Chair? That, I think, is really unfortunate, because there is a lot of good work that needs to be done in this committee. Mr. Cooper outlined it himself. We need to study the Conflict of Interest Act and what is violating that Conflict of Interest Act. If there are members on that side who are in clear violation, as reported, then we need to study that too. It can't just be this minister or that minister or that PM, calling them names every single day—to what objective? If we are really trying to do something here and if we are really trying to make positive change to better protect taxpayer dollars and to have a better Conflict of Interest Act that suits the needs of taxpayers and Canadians, then open it up. Have that non-partisan conversation.
Why is it that we always have to insert politics and be toxic? I have received so much of that toxicity, whether through Facebook, live videos—
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
I have a point of order, Chair.
Liberal
Iqra Khalid Liberal Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON
—or terrible tweets getting put out against me, or my office address being released—
Conservative
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
Chair, it's on relevance. The motion deals with the Conflict of Interest Act. This is important, because the Conflict of Interest Act is something that this committee deals with.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
The code for members is dealt with by the procedure and House affairs committee. What Ms. Khalid is talking about is not germane to the motion. What she's talking about could potentially fall under the code for members, but that would be the purview of the procedure and House affairs committee.
Why does this deal with ministers and the Prime Minister only? They are the only ones subject to the act. I'm sure that all members have—
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
—read it, and they've been here for years, but everyone needs to understand—
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
The member opposite needs to understand—
Conservative
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
—that what she's talking about betrays her absolute ignorance about the act and the code.