Government Operations Committee on June 19th, 2024

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

I'm sorry, Chair. Where are we?

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

I have the floor.

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

He's the chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

No, Mr. Green. I have the floor. I am the chair.

You tried to introduce a motion outside of committee business. I ruled that you cannot introduce a motion outside of committee business under the rules. The committee overruled me. That's fine.

You're allowed to introduce a motion now. You can't just start making things up—that you're reintroducing something. You're welcome to introduce a brand new motion, but we are not resuming a debate on that.

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

You would like me to restate the motion.

It says:

That, as per the usual practice of House of Commons standing committees, the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates shall not meet during Parliament’s summer recess unless the requirements of s.106(4) of the Standing Orders are met.

Now I'm going to speak to this, Mr. Chair.

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

I have a point of order, Chair.

This motion is not substantially different from another motion that was previously introduced in this committee. Therefore, it's out of order.

If you're going to introduce a new motion, it has to be substantially different from an existing motion. You can move a motion to resume consideration of another motion, but you can't just move a new motion.

If you resume consideration of a previous motion, the person who previously had the floor has the floor, which would be me.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

I was going to say that the motion is out of order because it has to be substantially different from the one we adjourned. You're not reintroducing it. You tabled a whole new motion, and it's out of order because it's not substantially different.

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

I'll challenge you on that, as well.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

You're setting difficult precedents, but go ahead.

(Ruling of the chair overturned: nays 7; yeas 3)

Go ahead.

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

I'll try another time.

Thanks.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

You could just follow the proper procedure and have a dilatory motion to resume. Then we could—

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

Socialists don't believe in rules.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

If you want to pursue this path, go ahead.

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Taking into consideration the House of Commons administration will block times during the summer for technical blackouts when committees will be unable to meet, and that summer is a time when members spend time in their constituencies meeting with their constituents and—

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

I have a point of order.

Is this the new or old motion being distributed in both official languages?

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

—attending committee events, the members of this committee and subcommittees agree not to meet during the summer recess, except for meetings under Standing Order 106.

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

I have a point of order.

My point of order is, could the new, old or whatever we're debating in this bizarro, ruleless framework be distributed so we can at least look at it?

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Do you have it in English and French to distribute? Would you send it to the clerk to be distributed?

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Yes, I can.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

I have Mr. Genuis, then Ms. Vignola.

Do you wish to start, or do you wish to wait for a few minutes?

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

I'd like it distributed, but I am ready to start.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Okay, go ahead, Mr. Genuis.

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

If I put in the motion, I still have the floor. I haven't given the floor up.

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

On that point, Chair, because it's the same motion, I believe—

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

It's not the same motion.