Procedure and House Affairs Committee on March 18th, 2011

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Durham, ON]

If you will allow me to actually--

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

That was the answer to the question I had.

My next question is this. Where was the minister when the document was signed?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Durham, ON]

I was in transit. I was travelling, actually, back to my riding on that particular day. I was in my car, driving, when I had the telephone conversation. However, Mr. Chair, if you will allow--

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Did the minister direct Stephanie Machel--

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Chair--

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

I got the answer to my question. Now I'm asking another specific question.

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Chair, I would like to answer a question of Mr. McKay's that has not been answered yet, if I could.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. McKay is not even here.

Listen, I want to know--

[An hon. member]

He's right there.

[An hon. member]

Mr. McKay's over here.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

I want to know if it was the minister who ordered Stephanie Machel--

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Excuse me--

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

--to sign that document, to change the document.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Excuse me, I have a point of order. I'll go to it, and then I will have another little discussion.

Go ahead.

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, ON]

I have the distinct impression that the question required more than the amount of information given before Mr. Martin interrupted. But we can't determine that unless she can finish her answers. So unless Mr. Martin wants to be sworn in as a witness, I think he should just let the people answer the questions.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Thank you, Mr. Reid.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

[Inaudible--Editor]...my questions as meaningless.

My next question--

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

I've stopped the clock, but let me please finish this, all right?

Thank you.

That was not a point of order. Mr. Martin, please try not to interrupt. The interpreters have a very rough time if you're speaking over top of other people, and the chair has a very rough time if you're speaking over top of him.

In my standard practice, and it will be the practice of this committee again today, the length of the question is about the length of the answer. We try to go that route. I understand that you're trying to ask some quick questions, and I'll try to hold the minister to quick answers, and we'll do our best with that. Let's not talk over top of each other.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

I would appreciate very much if we could keep the answers roughly the length of the question.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

That's what I'll try to do, Mr. Martin.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

My next question--

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Well, we still--

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

--to the minister, through you, Mr. Chairman, is whether it was her who specifically told Stephanie Machel, from her phone in the car, to insert the word “not”.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Go ahead, Minister.

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Chair, through you, if I could answer an unanswered question that was posed to me--