Evidence of meeting #142 for Finance in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was budget.
A video is available from Parliament.
2:10 p.m.
Liberal
Arielle Kayabaga Liberal London West, ON
On a point of order, Mr. Chair, that's not factual, as we are a hybrid committee. Hybrid means that you're able to provide both services.
2:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Jasraj Singh Hallan
Yes. I would ask all members members to wait to be recognized before anyone speaks.
At the beginning of each meeting we do have audio checks, and it is a responsibility for each member to make sure their audio is working correctly. I know that on this call there are other members who have audio issues, and they've chosen not to to participate until they get them resolved. Unless anyone else wants to speak to this point of order specifically, we'll move on.
Go ahead, Mr. Davies.
We can't hear you, Mr. Davies.
2:10 p.m.
The Clerk
May I intervene?
I'm sorry to intervene.
Mr. Davies, on your wire there is a button, and sometimes we click it by mistake. If you follow the wire, there should be an on and off button on it.
We cannot hear you. You can hear us clearly, but the info from you to us is not coming through. Is there no button on your wire that goes to your computer? Okay. Then I have no idea, because you're not muted.
At the beginning, we could hear you. I don't know what's wrong. I'll have IT call you. This should be easy to fix.
2:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Jasraj Singh Hallan
Mr. Davies, I think you can work with IT in the background, from the advice I got.
I've also been advised, Mr. Turnbull, that we can't recognize you because you can't be interpreted. In the meantime, you're more than welcome to have your Liberal colleagues present on your behalf.
Moving on, we'll go to Ms. Thompson.
You have your hand up. Is it on this point of order?
2:10 p.m.
Liberal
Joanne Thompson Liberal St. John's East, NL
No. My point of order is that I would like some clarity, please, Mr. Chair. The clerk's email indicated that today's meeting, Friday, May 17, would resume meeting 142, which is currently suspended. Could the chair confirm which meeting we're on? I think we've lost focus here.
Then I would like to speak to the need to suspend and ensure we have communication and the ability for all members using House of Commons headsets to have the opportunity to participate.
Perhaps we could begin, please, with clarity on the terms of what meeting we are beginning with today.
May 17th, 2024 / 2:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Jasraj Singh Hallan
Yes, Mr. Davies.
Ms. Thompson, we're on meeting 142. As I indicated before, as the chair, that is what we're on right now. I think that's pretty straightforward.
I'll move on to Mr. Davies. He has his hand up.
2:10 p.m.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I agree with Ms. Kayabaga's remarks earlier. It's a question of privilege. Each one of us is a member of this committee. We have a right to participate, and we have a right to participate either in person or remotely. There's no distinction. Rights are not accorded as to whether or not you're present in the meeting room. Every person around this table has participated both remotely and in person, particularly in a break week.
Mr. Turnbull is the parliamentary secretary to the minister. He is a lead, and he has a right to participate in this. It appears, through no fault of his own, that the technology is not working. The proper answer isn't to plow forward with a meeting and remove his voice at the committee. It's unfortunate when we have technical problems, but this is not an analogous situation to being either in the House or not in the House. This is a situation where we all have a right to participate.
I would agree that this meeting has to be suspended until Mr. Turnbull's right to participate is resolved. If he were not using the proper headset or were otherwise somehow not doing proper.... It's like I did just now: I had a proper sound check and then couldn't speak. The meeting should not proceed if I am silenced because of the technical issues. It's unfortunate, but that's the way it goes. You can't just say that someone else can speak for you. We each have a right to participate equally in this committee.
I'm going to move that this meeting be suspended until Mr. Turnbull's audio issues are resolved.
2:10 p.m.
Conservative
2:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Jasraj Singh Hallan
Before we get to that, colleagues, I have talked to the clerk, and he's made it quite clear that it's not that any privilege is being taken away. This is much like the House of Commons. The Speaker ruled that if interpreters could not interpret, then members could not be recognized. It was a very clear ruling by the Speaker in the House of Commons.
It's not that any member's privilege is being taken away. Just as in the House of Commons, any member has the ability to have other colleagues speak on their behalf. After any speeches are given, if someone is recognized and is able to be interpreted, then they're able to speak.
That's the rule I've seen followed as well. If interpreters cannot interpret, then members cannot be recognized. It's happened to other members in this committee before, and we've never had an issue.
2:10 p.m.
Conservative
2:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Jasraj Singh Hallan
I'll ask members to be recognized.
Mr. Chambers, go ahead.
2:10 p.m.
Conservative
Adam Chambers Conservative Simcoe North, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Here's what I would propose on the point of order that we've been discussing with respect to Mr. Turnbull.
We could suspend for two minutes to allow Mr. Turnbull to try to get this worked out. If that does not work, we should continue with the meeting, as we would in any other circumstance. We would give the governing party the opportunity to find a substitute, if that's what they require, or to rearrange their affairs accordingly. However, we should get back to the meeting, called under Standing Order 106(4). I believe I still have the floor and I have moved that motion.
I offer that point of order. Whether you would like to continue and give the floor back to me I leave up to you, Mr. Chair.
2:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Jasraj Singh Hallan
I'll just ask for a minute while I discuss this with the clerk.
Colleagues, I think that's what we'll do. We'll give Mr. Turnbull about two or three minutes to try to figure this out with IT. Otherwise, we'll do what we do in the House, and Mr. Turnbull can have his colleagues speak on his behalf.
We'll suspend the meeting until then.
2:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Jasraj Singh Hallan
Thank you to the IT team for getting this back under way.
Mr. Chambers, you have the floor.
2:30 p.m.
Conservative
Adam Chambers Conservative Simcoe North, ON
I'm glad we can get back to our wonderful motion here today. It's pretty good—
2:30 p.m.
Liberal
Ryan Turnbull Liberal Whitby, ON
I really need to be clear on whether we're doing. You said earlier to Ms. Thompson's comment that we were starting our meeting as a continuation of meeting 142, which means that this is not a separate meeting and, indeed, means that we're continuing debate on a subamendment. I don't understand how Mr. Chambers could have the floor, both because we had a speaking list on that subamendment and because we were on a subamendment. We can't move to debate any other motion until that subamendment has been dealt with.
Chair, could you clarify your ruling on whether you're following the advice of the clerk? If you are, then I don't see how Mr. Chambers could be moving a motion right now.
