Procedure and House Affairs Committee on March 18th, 2011

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Did you always?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

No. We did just get it, but we have it.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

You just got it. I see.

I went and asked the clerk for a copy, and she said she couldn't give it to me because it was in only one official language--English.

I've never seen a minister make a presentation in this Parliament circulated in one official language. It's unprecedented. If my colleague Yvon Godin were here, his head would explode.

Minister, you've maintained that it's common practice to insert “not” or “do not”. If that's the case, will you table examples? I don't believe any department could be that sloppy and that reckless and that irresponsible. If the forms didn't have a “disagree” option, why didn't you print some new forms?

I mean, who is driving the bus down there, Minister? You're either a very, very poor minister or an equally poor liar.

[An hon. member]

A point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Mr. Martin, that was three minutes' worth of questions.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

I'm asking the minister to table those examples, if she will.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

I'll ask the minister to answer the question.

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

Mr. Chair, a point of order.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Certainly.

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

I think at the very conclusion of his comments Mr. Martin used an unparliamentary word. I'm sure he'll want to withdraw it in order to give the minister time to respond.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

I will give the minister time to respond. Mr. Martin can deliberate on your comments.

Minister.

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Will you table the documents, Minister?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Durham, ON]

If I could respond, please, without being interrupted--

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Sure you can.

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Durham, ON]

--I'd appreciate that, Mr. Chair.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Well, Mr. Chairman, I don't want a three-minute answer.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

I have my doubts, Minister, but we'll....

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

I asked a simple question: will she table the documents?

[An hon. member]

Yes or no?

[Pat Martin]

Yes or no?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Chair, I've heard your instructions. I am allowed approximately the same amount of time for the response as the question that was posed.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

I want to see one other example of where somebody has, by hand, inserted the word “not” in one of these $7 million funding arrangements.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Why don't we let the minister answer the question? If you're unhappy with the answer--

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Because I'm afraid she's going to roll on and on from her talking points there and try to defend the indefensible. That's what I'm concerned about.