I haven't ruled on anything yet.
Evidence of meeting #25 for Health in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was vote.
A video is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #25 for Health in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was vote.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Conservative
Liberal
Liberal
Maggie Chi Liberal Don Valley North, ON
I find it, actually, very disrespectful towards the chair and the committee. You haven't even ruled on anything, yet the members started challenging. I think I heard explanations. If we're not even allowed to debate motions or amendments, then this is extremely undemocratic. I think members here deserve the opportunity to move amendments overall, so I find this process, what's happening here, really unsavoury.
I would like to clarify what the process is. If members of the opposition keep challenging every single point made by the chair, I find it unproductive to what we're trying to do here.
Liberal
Maggie Chi Liberal Don Valley North, ON
The member opposite just said to pass their motion as a whole, without any debate, which I also think is extremely undemocratic. We are here to debate and to introduce amendments that we think are necessary. You may disagree with the amendments, but you cannot silence us into not being able to move anything in this committee. I just want to make that very clear on the record, because I find the process here at this meeting.... I've never seen something like this at a committee yet. This is actually really disturbing.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Thank you, Ms. Chi.
I've been here for 33 years. I have chaired many committees for many years. I have never yet seen amendments to a motion not being allowed. That is not something I have ever seen. One can debate the amendment and say you don't like it for reason A, B or C, but the amendment can be moved. That is part of the process of debate that has been traditional in the House of Commons and in standing committees for as long as they have existed.
I note that this is going to be something that is being challenged all the time. It means that we are hamstringing the committee from even doing its work, and I'm setting that down here and now as something I've observed. It's not a ruling. I just observed that there is a movement here by the parties of the opposition to stop the process of the committee from carrying on its course.
When a person is not allowed to move an amendment, which is what I'm seeing here.... It's interesting because the amendment had not even been explained before people said it was out of order. There has to be some courtesy allowed, some basic courtesy, in what is a professional group. We are a House of Commons standing committee. We obey the rules of the House of Commons. I think it's really clear that this is being subverted right now. I want to put on the record as chair the suggestion that the process is being subverted. That's not a ruling; it's a statement that I'm making.
Do you have the amendment, Clerk?
The clerk has the amendment. It has been issued to everyone. If you want to look at the amendment, I will suspend the meeting while you all read the amendment that's been put forward.
Mr. Strauss, you can smile and grimace however much you want. I think Ms. Chi is absolutely right. There is an absolute rudeness and lack of some sort of decorum at this meeting tonight. It is very unusual. I've never seen such a lack of decorum. I know everyone thinks it's funny, and I think I'm watching you all laughing at how funny you think it is.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
I'm looking at you and at the members who are laughing. Mr. Strauss was laughing.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Maybe that was a grimace, Mr. Strauss. I thought it was a laugh. I'm sorry.
I will suspend.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
The meeting resumes.
The last time the meeting was up, Ms. Jaczek was speaking and Mr. Strauss was moving a point of order. Is that what was happening?
Mr. Strauss, I think you have the floor.
Conservative
Matt Strauss Conservative Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON
Chair, it's my understanding that it's the common practice of the House that when an amendment is proposed the chair immediately determines its admissibility.
Liberal
Conservative
Conservative
Matt Strauss Conservative Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON
It's my understanding that it's the traditional practice of the House that when an amendment is proposed, the chair immediately determines its admissibility. If it's inadmissible, if it's out of order, there's no point debating it for two hours. It seems to me that the amendment has been proposed and we all heard the amendment. It seemed obviously not in keeping with the intent of the motion. I would ask you to make a ruling if you feel you haven't yet on whether this amendment is presently in order or not.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
I think by allowing the amendment to continue, I felt that it was in order, or I would have said so immediately when the amendment was proposed.
Conservative
Matt Strauss Conservative Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON
Then if that's your ruling, I would challenge your ruling.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
All right. We have a challenge to the chair. We will have a vote on the chair's ruling. Those in favour of the—
Liberal
Maggie Chi Liberal Don Valley North, ON
I have a point of order, Chair.
Can I get some clarification on what we're actually voting for? The clerk explained the last time.
