Finance Committee on Oct. 8th, 2020

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

On the topic of trying to extend things from one area to another, Mr. Julian is doing the exact same thing by suggesting that you cannot point out somebody's absence in a committee. That is absolutely incorrect. You can call them by their first name or last name, as he just did with Mr. Fragiskatos. It is not the case that you cannot point out somebody's absence.

I mean, I'm certainly in favour of Polkaroo showing up again, because he's been absent for a little while. It would be great to see him back on the screen.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Mr. Gerretsen, I am going to tune you up a little bit. I don't believe we should call people names other than their actual names.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

He was a lovable character from my youth. He was from Polka Dot Door.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

That may be true.

Mr. Fragiskatos, continue your remarks.

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, London North Centre, ON]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I would go back to the point raised by Mr. Fraser. I think he raised something incredibly important. How are we, as committee members, going to look at this in a meaningful way and a serious way? We haven't received all the documents, and therefore nothing is really reviewable here. In fact, if you want to extend the idea further, it's hard to see how there are no questions of privilege being raised here if we're being forced to vote on this.

For all these reasons, Mr. Chair, I have a real challenge with where the amendment wants to take us.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Okay.

We're ready to call the question on the amendment.

Madam Clerk, I will go to you to take the vote.

Keep in mind that this is a vote on the amendment to the original motion.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

I have a point of order.

Could we have that read out again, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Yes. I would ask you, Madam Clerk, to read out the amendment as inserted in the paragraph, and just quote the amendment when you get there. It reads better that way.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Mr. Chair, just as a point of order, was this supposed to be available on the website at this point? There is nothing there right now.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

No, it's only at committee. It hasn't passed, so it wouldn't be on the website.

Madam Clerk, could you read it, please?

[The Clerk]

The amendment by Mr. Kelly reads, “That the evidence heard and papers received by the committee during its study on government spending, WE and the Canada student service grant during the first session of the 43rd Parliament be taken into consideration by the committee during the current session and, accordingly”. And then we would go back to the first paragraph from the motion by Mr. Poilievre: “that the chair be instructed to present the following report”.

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, London North Centre, ON]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Are you complete in your reading there, Madam Clerk?

[The Clerk]

Yes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Okay.

Mr. Fragiskatos, do you have a point of order?

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, London North Centre, ON]

Mr. Chair, nothing has been received. There are no documents on the website. I know it was mentioned before that there are no documents on the website. I looked at it just now, so it's hard to see how we're proceeding here.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

We may have to get clarity on this. I think the clerk has indicated that the documents and evidence are still on our public website, so we will have to look into that—

[Julie Dzerowicz, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

—to make sure they are. We are on the question—

[Julie Dzerowicz, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

—at the moment.

Ms. Dzerowicz, go ahead on a point of order.

[Julie Dzerowicz, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Is it possible for the clerk to maybe take a moment to find the link and perhaps ensure that we have it?

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

We'll do that following this vote, because it really amounts more to the original motion that the documents be available.

[Julie Dzerowicz, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

On another point of order, Mr. Chair, would it be possible for us to suspend just for a few moments for the clerk to be able to do that?

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

That is possible, if that is your wish.