Evidence of meeting #94 for Finance in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Clerk of the Committee  Mr. Alexandre Roger
Philippe Méla  Legislative Clerk
Ariane Gagné-Frégeau  Legislative Clerk
Miriam Burke  Legislative Clerk
Jean-François Lafleur  Legislative Clerk

2:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca

MP Genuis, I've already ruled.

2:10 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

You haven't even heard what I've had to say, Chair. You haven't let me finish a sentence, Chair.

2:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca

I've already ruled that we are [Inaudible—Editor].

2:10 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

No. You haven't let me finish a sentence—

2:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca

Is this a point of order, MP Blaikie?

2:10 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

I'm trying to raise a point of order, and you've said it's debate.

2:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca

Is it on the same point of order?

2:10 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

Suspend for question period, Chair.

May 30th, 2023 / 2:10 p.m.

NDP

Daniel Blaikie NDP Elmwood—Transcona, MB

It's on the same point of order, Mr. Chair.

It seems to me, and folks can correct me if I'm wrong, that what we have is a dispute arising from a question of whether the whips are in power to decide these things. As a matter of fact, I think they are and have done things like this before. However, the other side of that is whether it's the will of the committee to sit through question period or not.

I would be happy to provide unanimous consent for a vote on whether we suspend or not. I will be voting to carry on through question period. We tried to have an agreement to lump some clauses together to represent the time lost for question period. That failed. I am in support of sitting through question period. I'm happy to vote on whether to suspend or not. I will vote against suspending.

If that helps clear this up so that we can end this disorder and return to the business at hand, I'm happy to do that. Let's find a path forward. I'm not interested in sitting through this for the next hour or so.

2:15 p.m.

Bloc

Gabriel Ste-Marie Bloc Joliette, QC

I request a recorded vote, Mr. Chair.

2:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca

There's a point of order from MP Ste-Marie.

2:15 p.m.

Bloc

Gabriel Ste-Marie Bloc Joliette, QC

Mr. Chair, in my understanding of the standing orders, the committee must obtain the unanimous consent of its members in order to continue its meeting during question period.

I'd like to get some clarification from the clerk on that.

2:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca

Wait one moment, MP Ste-Marie. We did not have translation.

Can we test translation? Does everybody have translation?

2:15 p.m.

Bloc

Gabriel Ste-Marie Bloc Joliette, QC

I'll keep talking so we're sure everyone has access to the interpretation.

2:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca

We're going to allow MP Lawrence to switch his mike.

Wait one moment, MP Ste-Marie. MP Lawrence is switching his microphone.

Can you speak, MP Ste-Marie, en français?

2:15 p.m.

Bloc

Gabriel Ste-Marie Bloc Joliette, QC

Mr. Chair, in my understanding of the standing orders, the committee must obtain the unanimous consent of its members in order to continue its meeting during question period.

I'd like the clerk to confirm my interpretation of the standing orders.

2:15 p.m.

Conservative

Marty Morantz Conservative Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

2:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca

Wait one moment, MP Ste-Marie.

We're going to suspend for a second.

MP Ste-Marie, you're correct. It's when the bells are ringing. When the bells are ringing, we would need UC.

2:15 p.m.

Conservative

Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON

I can't hear. It's a point of privilege. Give me something here.

2:15 p.m.

Conservative

Marty Morantz Conservative Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB

I have a point of order before you suspend.

2:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca

We're going to suspend to fix the technical difficulty that we have.

2:20 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca

We're back.

I understand the technical issues have been dealt with.

I am going to ask MP Ste-Marie...because MP Lawrence was having some challenges with his mike and the interpretation. On that note, on the interpretation, and on the members in here, for MP Genuis to turn on his phone and put on some kind of recording and then start blasting the interpreters and...the health and safety of the staff and members here in this room, that is completely unacceptable.

MP Genuis, your mike will be turned off. You cannot do this. You are hurting people. You should know better. After all the years here you should know better than to do what you did. I would hope that everybody in the room would feel the same way and that you don't do that again.

MP Genuis, please...decorum and respect. Please abide by the rules.

2:20 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

I hope I'll have the opportunity to respond to that on a point of order, Chair, but I welcome Mr. Ste-Marie to go next—

2:20 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca

No, we're going to MP Ste-Marie's point of order.

2:20 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

I will have a point of order later.