Evidence of meeting #30 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was flyer.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

11:50 a.m.

Liberal

Marcel Proulx Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC

May I suggest that tricks of that sort not be repeated, Mr. Chair.

Thank you.

11:50 a.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON

Okay. Can I continue with my question?

11:50 a.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Guy Lauzon

We have the clock stopped. The clerk is not sure whether a witness is allowed to get a document that is in one official language. That's what she's checking on.

We'll continue with the questioning.

11:50 a.m.

Liberal

Irwin Cotler Liberal Mount Royal, QC

I can reply nonetheless.

11:50 a.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Guy Lauzon

Are you ready?

11:50 a.m.

Liberal

Irwin Cotler Liberal Mount Royal, QC

Yes, I am ready to reply.

I was at that speech. That was not the only time that Mr. Ignatieff said that to imply any false moral equivalence between a terrorist organization like Hezbollah and a country like Israel, acting in self-defence, is an odious slur. He clearly in that speech threw that out. If anybody can't read that as an apology, then they can read other matters.

I have the best evidence, Mr. Chair, and not my words. I will read this into the record today.

The person who first publicly accused Mr. Ignatieff with respect to that statement was none other than my wife. She wrote at that time a letter to the National Post. The National Post wrote that the former justice minister's wife criticizes the Liberal leader.

It was at that time, if you will, a kind of media event.

Mr. Ignatieff apologized thereafter to my wife, but the Conservatives continued to keep using the fact of my wife's letter against me, against my wife, against the Liberal Party.

11:50 a.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON

Mr. Chair. I've never made reference to his wife--

11:50 a.m.

Liberal

Irwin Cotler Liberal Mount Royal, QC

I'm answering the question.

11:50 a.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON

--and I'm not going to make reference to his wife.

11:50 a.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Guy Lauzon

It's Mr. Poilievre's time.

Go ahead, Mr. Poilievre.

11:50 a.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON

The question was whether Mr. Ignatieff apologized. In the speech that Mr. Cotler identified there was no apology. In fact, in the exact same speech where this alleged apology occurred, he said he should have characterized Israel's actions as, “Israel may have failed to comply with the Geneva Conventions and the laws of war”.

11:50 a.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Guy Lauzon

Sorry, Mr. Poilievre, your time is up.

Listen, we need to have order here. We're trying to conduct this meeting in a calm, rational fashion. Unfortunately, it's getting....

I would ask the members to please refrain from talking across the table.

I would like us to continue, please.

11:50 a.m.

Liberal

Irwin Cotler Liberal Mount Royal, QC

Mr. Chair, could I just--

11:50 a.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Guy Lauzon

No, I'm sorry, the seven minutes are up.

Mr. Guimond, your seven minutes start now.

11:50 a.m.

Bloc

Michel Guimond Bloc Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, QC

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Cotler, I want to ask you some questions to find out what kind of person you are. Please answer fairly quickly, so I have time to discuss the issue at hand.

Before becoming an MP, 9 or 10 years ago, what did you do?

11:50 a.m.

Liberal

Irwin Cotler Liberal Mount Royal, QC

I was a professor in the Faculty of Law at McGill University.

11:50 a.m.

Bloc

Michel Guimond Bloc Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, QC

What type of law did you teach?

11:50 a.m.

Liberal

Irwin Cotler Liberal Mount Royal, QC

I taught constitutional law, human rights and international law.

11:55 a.m.

Bloc

Michel Guimond Bloc Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, QC

You already mentioned it, but I want to hear you say it again. What is your religious denomination?

11:55 a.m.

Liberal

Irwin Cotler Liberal Mount Royal, QC

I am Jewish.

11:55 a.m.

Bloc

Michel Guimond Bloc Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, QC

How many Jewish people are there in your riding?

11:55 a.m.

Liberal

Irwin Cotler Liberal Mount Royal, QC

I believe almost 25% of the people in my riding are Jewish.

11:55 a.m.

Bloc

Michel Guimond Bloc Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, QC

You represent roughly 100,000 people in your riding, is that right?

11:55 a.m.

Liberal

Irwin Cotler Liberal Mount Royal, QC

The exact number is 96,000.

11:55 a.m.

Bloc

Michel Guimond Bloc Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, QC

And 25% of those are Jewish.

How many synagogues does your riding have?