Government Operations Committee on April 15th, 2024

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

I don't think this is a point of order.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Gentlemen—

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

It's an abuse of the process—

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Mr. Bachrach, I have the floor. I understand.

Could we have silence?

Mrs. Kusie, can you get to your point of order, please?

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Yes, of course.

He went on to create the failed, scandal-plagued Canada Infrastructure Bank.

The greatest stain on our society currently, I believe, Mr. Chair, is his role and McKinsey's role in the opioid crisis. They had to pay $600 million in damages—

[Irek Kusmierczyk, Liberal, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Is this “clips Monday”?

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

I think, given this report—

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

Seriously. You would do it to us. Do it to her, please.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

—by the procurement ombudsman today, Mr. Chair, it is absolutely necessary for this committee to hear from the procurement ombudsman—

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

Mr. Chair, please....

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

—regarding this report, and from the CBSA once again.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Gentlemen, please—

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Chair, may I raise a point of order?

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Yes. Is it on that point of order or a different point of order?

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

I'm just wondering what your ruling will be on the point of order raised by my colleague Mrs. Kusie.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

If I could get to it, I could probably make such a ruling.

Mrs. Kusie, I appreciate your comments. This is not a point of order.

Colleagues, if you have read the report, though, it is pretty—

[Majid Jowhari, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

We agree, but that doesn't have—

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

I'm glad you agree. It's a....

Let me speak, please.

It is a rather damning report.

I appreciate Mrs. Kusie's comments, though it is not a point of order.

I'm glad you agree. Perhaps we've had the ombudsman in before—

[Majid Jowhari, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

No, I do agree, but that's not—

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Okay. My Liberal colleagues agree with me.

[Majid Jowhari, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

—a point of order.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

No.

I hope that we will agree and we can get to having Mr. Jeglic in, and perhaps PSPC, on the report he's spent the past year preparing. I hope if everyone's fine with that, we'll find some time to do it.

[Majid Jowhari, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

I guess we're still on the same point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Go ahead, Mr. Bachrach, if you have anything else.

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

I share my colleague's concern about the report, and I very much want to see this committee examine that in great detail.

My concern is that points of order are used inappropriately and the chair doesn't cut them off. I don't think that's a latitude you would allow me or anyone from another party, so I would just ask that in the future, points of order be restricted to actual points of order.

I think all parties are guilty of that at different times, but it's frustrating and it's a frustrating way to start an important meeting. I'll just leave it at that.

Thank you.