Evidence of meeting #21 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was point.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
John Baird Conservative Ottawa West—Nepean, ON
Here's how points of order work: members of Parliament get to raise them and the chair has to listen to them. I'm sorry if that's an inconvenience to you, Madam Chair.
Let me tell you this: I am also a minister of the government and I am here to take personal responsibility. Ministerial responsibility is one of the essences of our parliamentary democracy. If anyone has any questions with respect to employees in my office, I am here, I am prepared to be accountable, and I will answer each and every question.
I've heard members of the New Democratic Party say that when we're asked to come, we don't come. Though you haven't asked me to come, I am here--to answer any and all questions of people who work in my political office. If you have any questions, I am prepared to be accountable, I am prepared to respond to them, and I am prepared to participate in this discussion.
4:05 p.m.
An hon. member
[Inaudible--Editor]
4:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
Order! Committee members, order.
Mr. Baird, I'm going to read your letter:
Pursuant to the statement made by the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons on May 25, and the motion passed by the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates on May 5, 2010 requesting the appearance of Kim Michelutti, this letter is to inform the Committee that I have instructed Ms. Michelutti that I will be appearing in her place.
It clearly states that you came here as a witness. It's the committee's prerogative--
4:05 p.m.
An hon. member
Point of order.
4:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
--to say whether you are a witness or not. So whether you are a witness or not, you have to decide. You came in here as a witness. You didn't come as a minister of the crown. You came as a witness.
Yes, Mr. Brown, go ahead on your point of order.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Patrick Brown Conservative Barrie, ON
Thank you....
Siobhan, I've been waiting since 3:30 to speak, so I'm pleased that the chair finally recognized me.
First of all, on the printed agenda for today, these three ministers are not down as witnesses, so to say that you all of a sudden recognize them as witnesses is the height of hypocrisy.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
John Baird Conservative Ottawa West—Nepean, ON
It's the rules, Yasmin; you should try to read them. Every chair should read them.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
4:05 p.m.
An hon. member
[Inaudible--Editor]
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Patrick Brown Conservative Barrie, ON
I think unfortunately the circus today is because of these disingenuous rulings. It started today at 3:30, when you said that you hadn't seen these documents that were supposedly transmitted, without the permission of the committee, to the media, in an untranslated form. We all agreed they were going to be bilingual.
You said at the beginning of the meeting, Madam Chair, that you hadn't seen them. Well, I've got the blues from the last meeting, where you said: “I will just clarify what I said.”
4:05 p.m.
Liberal
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Patrick Brown Conservative Barrie, ON
You said, “There are 725 pages of information that I have taken a look at, and some of it is not relevant to us at all.”
4:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
No, it's not a point of order, it's debate....
Turn it off.
Is there anybody else?
Ladies and gentlemen, committee members, do you want to proceed with those two as witnesses?
4:05 p.m.
Some hon. members
Yes.
No.
4:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
No, you do not wish to....? Okay.
Ms. Coady has....
Mr. Martin was first.
You have the floor, Mr. Martin. You had put your name down.
4:05 p.m.
An hon. member
[Inaudible--Editor]
4:05 p.m.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
I was hoping to speak.
First of all, I've been around a long time. I've been on lots of boards of directors--
