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.