Foreign Affairs Committee on May 16th, 2022

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Yes, Mr. Oliphant?

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

It's a point of order in that I believe we're now engaging in debate. If one of the members wants to challenge your ruling—

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

I'm making an argument with respect to order.

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

—which has been made, we do not debate in committee, Mr. Chair.... I would just caution us as a committee: We do not debate the ruling of a chair unless it has been challenged.

You have made a ruling. You have said that there was an original motion on the floor. A second substantive motion you have ruled out of order. If one of the members would like to challenge you, that is their privilege; however, that needs to be voted on immediately. If the honourable member across would like to challenge you, it is his right, but it is not his right or our need in this committee to entertain that debate.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Thank you.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Could I just finish my point of order? I was in the middle of a point of order when another point of order interrupted me.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Mr. Genuis, I didn't recognize you.

Mr. Oliphant has spoken as to what the proper procedure is. You cannot challenge—

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

[Inaudible—Editor] point of order about that. I was in the middle of a point of order. Mr. Oliphant interrupted me and you gave him the floor in the middle of my point of order. I think it's important for you, as chair, to think about engaging with all parties in a constructive way and I'm—

[Sameer Zuberi, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

I have a point of order.

I'd like to know who has the floor right now, Mr. Chair. Can you tell us who has the floor?

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Again another member of the government is interrupting me on a point of order—

[Sameer Zuberi, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

I have a point of order. Hold on a second. I have a point of order. I'd like to know who has the floor right now.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

You can't interrupt a point of order with a point of order and claim the floor.

I waited until Mr. Oliphant was finished even though he had been interrupting my point of order.

[Sameer Zuberi, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

Again, I'd like to know who has the floor right now.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Mr. Genuis, that is not the point. The point is that before you're allowed to proceed, you have to be recognized by the chair.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

You recognized me first, Mr. Chair, and then Mr. Oliphant interrupted me and now Mr. Zuberi is interrupting me.

Can I have the floor to make the point that I was originally making? That's what I'm asking.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Yes, but this is not a debate. Do you appreciate that? If you do have a point of order—

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

I am making arguments with respect to procedure under the rubric of a point of order. It is legitimate for a point of order to include arguments in the context of matters of order.

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

Mr. Chair, can I ask if you have indeed made a ruling—

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Here we go again.

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

—which is then debatable or is it not debatable? I think that is very important. I think the members need to know the procedure right now. If it is debatable, if the decision is made, we had an opportunity to have points of order—

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

I haven't been able to get a sentence in.

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

—and debate before you made your ruling. You've made your ruling. That is the way Parliament works.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

That is correct, Mr. Oliphant.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

May I finish my point of order, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

It's not debatable, Mr. Genuis.