Subcommittee on Food Safety Committee on June 8th, 2009

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

You were challenged before you suspended.

On Mr. Anderson's point, Mr. Chair, what we've seen consistently from the government, right from the appointment of the investigator—the so-called independent investigator, Weatherill—is an attempt by the government to cover in terms of ministerial and government responsibility.

We see your chairing, Mr. Chair, consistently trying to take the side of the government and defend it, no matter what. You've been challenged by this side of the House in terms of your ruling. We are demanding that there be another hour, so you should accept that challenge. It's on your back if you don't.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Madam Bennett, you have challenged the chair. There's no doubt in my mind that it was after I suspended, but I'm going to ask the committee if they want to amend the agenda. The agenda, as presented, is until 10 tonight. No, it's scheduled until 9:30. I take it you want to use that hour for the witnesses rather than the report.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

I think there's a consensus on this side that we need at least one more round with the witnesses.

I also would like the clerk to explain to us what time we have, in working backwards from the tabling of our report in the House of Commons to the tabling with the main committee. We really are uncomfortable not having had the ministers. Could the clerk just tell me, working back from the 23rd?

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

You've had the minister here, Madam Bennett. Maybe you weren't here that night; I'm not sure.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

The Minister of Health—neither of them has been here.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

I think, Madam Bennett, you were a minister and you understand and know—

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

I resent the fact that the Minister of Health's staff called my office begging that she not have to appear.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Do you have a point of order?

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Sure. Ms. Bennett's imagination is getting away with her again. It may be late in the day. This is ridiculous. The Minister of Health, I understand, is making a written submission to the committee.

It's interesting. Now she wants to talk about the report and what we're doing with the schedule, which is exactly what we're supposed to be doing from 8:30 to 9:30. That's what we put that in here for. Now she wants to have that discussion.

We've sat here tonight. The people have been good enough to stay, as on the schedule. Mr. Easter went off here again. He's blaming the investigator and next he'll be going after the minister. He's blaming the chair. We've seen this regularly over the last month or so. He can't find anything he can go off on, so he has to go off on the procedure of the committee and blame other people.

We had a schedule, Mr. Chair. I think we need to stick to that.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

Why?

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Why stick to it? Because we—

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

[Inaudible--Editor]

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Ms. Bennett, Mr. Anderson has been given the floor. It's his turn.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

I guess that really disappoints me, Mr. Chair. This has happened all evening when we've had the microphone. I assume Mr. Shipley is probably going to want to say something in here as well. When we have the microphone, the opposition feels it's their right to shout us down. We've given them the time of the evening here to have their say. I haven't actually heard from Mr. Bellavance or Mr. Allen. I don't know if this is an organized thing. If these folks had come over to us a little bit earlier and asked if we wanted to do this, we probably would have agreed with them. They play these tricks at the end, trying to be sneaky and to see if there's some trouble they can cause.

The CFIA folks have answered pretty much all the questions. The last round over there didn't have anything new from what we've heard before, so I don't think they're keeping them here because they've got anything new. They're just trying to keep digging until maybe they can get one little thing they might be able to make into some sort of news story.

I was disappointed that Mr. Easter goes off once again, attacking the investigator and the investigation. Every bit of testimony of every witness who has spoken to that has said she has had the full cooperation of every witness. She's had the ability to go wherever she wanted to with her investigation. She's had the cooperation of the minister. She's had officials in there as much as she's wanted to. I don't know why he would have attacked her.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

[Inaudible--Editor]

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Madam Bennett, he didn't interrupt you, and I don't let him interrupt you, so give him the same respect.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

This is really disappointing that you wouldn't let me have my say as well. We certainly let you talk.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

[Inaudible--Editor]

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Madam Bennett, you're out of order. Your turn will come.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

I think Mr. Easter raised these issues and I think it's only appropriate that we respond to them, because clearly he was incorrect in the things he said. The investigator has had full authority to do her investigation as she has chosen to do.

Every witness that we've heard, for weeks, Madam Bennett, even though you may not have been here at some of those meetings, has said that she's had that authority. She's had that ability. She herself said that no one has stood in her way in finding out what happened, and she is very, very satisfied with her ability to be able to do that.

The other point is that we've heard about her tremendous qualifications. There was no question of her character or her ability to do this investigation, so--

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

[Inaudible--Editor]...to do with what we're discussing.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Madam Bennett, you have a verbal motion on the floor and he's speaking to it.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

[Inaudible--Editor]

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Mr. Chair, I think I still have the floor...?

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

You do.