Government Operations Committee on April 1st, 2008

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

Maybe what we could do for the future—and this will just end it, because this will be a quick point--if we say that a meeting is two hours and if we hear that somebody isn't available, is come back to the committee so that the committee could be made aware of it beforehand. That would eliminate the confusion, or we could make a decision to try to reschedule, or something.

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

Mr. Holland, sometimes it is better to go with the minister on the date when we can receive him than to refuse to hear him because he doesn't have the full two hours. Usually it's at the discretion of the chair, and I usually exercise that discretion.

On that same...Madame Folco.

[Raymonde Folco, Liberal, Laval—Les Îles, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I would like to table a motion. It is, of course, available in both official languages. It reads as follows:

That Minister Baird provide a list of the Treasury Board meetings where the light rail project in Ottawa was discussed, with the dates of those meetings, the names of the participants in those meetings and where they took place.

That Minister Baird provide a list of the Treasury Board meetings for the light rail project in Ottawa....

Excuse me.

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

A point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

A point of order? I had recognized her. She is putting forward a motion. Even if you had one before, we are discussing the light rail project, and she has every right, because she has the floor, to propose a motion.

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

Yes, and I have every right to have a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

Yes.

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

I tabled this motion on February 26, 2008. We still haven't debated it, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

We can certainly debate it.

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

It deals with light rail, and we're dealing with that now, so you're saying.

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

It hasn't been moved. It was presented to the committee. Madame is moving her motion now.

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

Madam, it already has been tabled. I don't have a copy of her motion in either official language; this is in both official languages. It deals with what we're talking about....

Can I finish my sentence without your interrupting?

I've already tabled this, Madam Chair, and I would like to debate it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

Mr. Moore, I have recognized Madame Folco. She is speaking and she is in the process of dealing with a motion.

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

I'm in the middle of my point of order, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

I am telling you now that I'm listening to her. When she's through, if you want to move your motion at that time, go ahead.

Madame Folco.

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

Madam Chair, I have a point of order and you've interrupted me. Let me finish my point. It's not a debate.

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

It is not a debate. What I have said is you have not moved that motion, even though it was tabled.

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

Yes, I did. I had my assistant speak to the clerk before we came in at the end of this, and she said to you I was going to move this motion, did she not?

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

You will move the motion, but I recognized her, she was speaking, and she has the floor at this time.

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

This is outrageous. Before we came back into this—

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

You could challenge the chair and move on.

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

Mark, I have the floor, for God's sake. Listen.

Madam Chair, we had the minister for the first half of this meeting; in the second half of the meeting we're talking about future business. Coming back for future business, I had my assistant speak to the clerk and say, “Mr. Moore would like to move the motion that he tabled in this committee a month and a half ago.”

We come back, you gavel it into session, and you recognize the Liberal over me, after we've already told the clerk that I'm going to move my motion.

[Raymonde Folco, Liberal, Laval—Les Îles, QC]

This is not future business.

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

Can you please manage this committee in a non-partisan way and recognize me?

[Raymonde Folco, Liberal, Laval—Les Îles, QC]

This is not future business. This is a follow-up on questioning to the minister.