Foreign Affairs Committee on May 16th, 2022

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Continuing to interrupt the speaker when the motion talks about Ukraine and getting back to the studies on Ukraine, the subject of what's going on with the war between Russia and Ukraine is exactly relevant to the subamendment and the amendment.

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

Mr. Chair, I believe Mr. Sarai had the floor on a point of order, and you did not recognize other people. I want to say that.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

He didn't recognize you, either.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Thank you, Mr. Oliphant.

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

Sometimes you have to do it when you're dealing with people who have no respect for parliamentary procedure.

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

Really? You're interrupting every 15 seconds and saying there's no respect for parliamentary procedure.

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

There's absolutely no respect for parliamentary procedure and no understanding of the rules of the House of Commons.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Thank you for making our argument for us.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Members, I'd like to call for order.

Mr. Oliphant, your point is well taken. However, Mr. Sarai had concluded his remarks.

Mr. Perkins, you were not recognized to speak. You jumped into the debate.

Again, to every member here, please do not speak until you've been recognized.

Is this a point of order, Mr. Aboultaif?

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Yes. Thank you, Chair.

I would ask Mr. Oliphant, given the opportunity, to basically withdraw what he said about disrespect of the procedures. Coming from a parliamentary secretary—and I've travelled with Mr. Oliphant, and I have a lot of respect for him—this would be a great opportunity to do so, please. This is not the way I would like to see this conversation going around this table. I believe we've been working in a constructive way as a group—

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Outremont, QC]

[Inaudible—Editor]

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Please, Rachel, we're trying to maintain some level of respect among the group.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Thank you, Mr. Aboultaif.

Ms. McPherson, you have the floor.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

To follow up on Mr. Aboultaif's point of order, I would just like to point out that we have been sitting in this committee listening to Conservatives filibuster since May 16. It is very rich to listen to the members of the Conservative Party say that we need to act in a more parliamentary manner when there is desperate work this committee needs to do and they're asking members of this committee to act in a more parliamentary manner when they have literally filibustered this committee for weeks, since May 16. It is absurd.

I would like Mr. Aboultaif to take back his comments asking for the rest of the committee to act more professionally. Perhaps he could encourage his colleagues to act in a much, much more professional manner.

Thank you.

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

I'd like to speak to the same point of order, Mr. Chair.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Mr. Chair, can I respond to this?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Yes, Mr. Aboultaif.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

I've been very respectful. I've always been. I haven't addressed Ms. McPherson with what's going on, especially lately, so I don't think her attack on me at this point is relevant or appropriate. If anyone needs to respond to what I said, it would be Mr. Oliphant.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Go ahead, Mr. Genuis.

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

Mr. Chair, I wasn't sure if Ms. McPherson's point was a point of debate or a point of order, but since she was allowed to continue on the matter of order she raised, I think it's important to note that there have been many motions to adjourn debate, motions to proceed to other subject matter and calls for this to be hashed out at the subcommittee.

We are in a situation where she and members of the government have continuously voted against adjourning debate, against adjourning the meeting—

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Mr. Genuis, I think you're engaging in debate.

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

—and against proceeding to other matters, so I'm not sure how to interpret her comments.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Mr. Genuis, I believe you're engaging in debate. Did you have a point of order?

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

Well, I said I wasn't sure if her comment was a point of order, but insofar as hers was a point of order, mine is on exactly the same subject as hers. Either they're both not points of order, or they are. If they are, then I appreciate the opportunity to respond and put on the record the fact we have sought adjournment of this and it's been opposed continuously.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Thank you, Mr. Genuis.

Ms. Gray, as you can see, everyone is asking that you kindly keep your remarks relevant.