Government Operations Committee on Oct. 29th, 2009

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Mr. Jean, let me finish talking.

If there is an allocation process, I follow it, and if the minister keeps on talking for seven minutes, I cannot stop him, if you guys don't stop him. If he's responding to your question and you're allowing him to do it, that's not up to me. You can interject and stop any witness, if you feel that witness is not responding to your question.

So that's exactly what I do, and if you feel that the chair is...if you feel it, that's your opinion.

I'm sorry, but I have the prerogative to interject when I have to.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

I'm not talking about the interjection, Madam Chair. I'm talking about the questioning—

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

It's not a one-on-one conversation, though.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Thank you. Mr. Martin.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

It's a committee, not just the two of you.

I wanted to add to the same point that Brian raises. I have been a member of Parliament for five terms and sat on 12 different committees. I've never seen a committee where the chair did not take the liberty to interject from time to time, especially if they thought there was something the committee should hear that it was not hearing in the course of questioning. In those committees, the chair doesn't always wait until everyone else has had their turn. Sometimes the chair even interjects after the first speaker has their questioning. The chair may make one little comment, then another one later on, and then at the end take one complete round for themselves, if they chose. It certainly is the practice and the norm, notwithstanding what Marleau and Montpetit says.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Yes, Mr. Jean.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

I understand that would be the opinion of somebody who has been here for five terms. I've been here for three terms, and he's a member of a party that gets three rounds for every one opportunity that a government member or, for instance, an official opposition member gets.

What I was asking—you do get more rounds, Mr. Martin—

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

I get one round in a whole day. Did you notice that?

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Mr. Jean, what you are arguing is moot, really. If you read carefully, it says:

Following this opening statement, there is a period for questioning. Any member of the committee may pose questions to the witnesses. The Chair may, on occasion, also participate in the questioning of witnesses. Other Members of the House in attendance at committee meetings may also be permitted to pose questions....

And I think I am in my right—

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

It continues, Madam Chair. It does continue:

This depends, in part, on the amount of time the committee has accorded to dealing with each witness and the number of committee members who wish to ask questions. Committee members are usually given priority in the questioning of witnesses.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

The clerk is explaining to me that you have not understood it well. It is that non-committee members should not ask questions over committee members. It does not talk about the chair.

With that, I will end debate, unless anybody else has any issues.

Thank you. The meeting is adjourned.