Procedure and House Affairs Committee on Dec. 10th, 2013

[Nycole Turmel, NDP, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

I appreciate the fact that we can discuss this in a public meeting and on a much lighter note than that of yesterday's discussions. I would like us to consider the motion I have submitted. It reads as follows:

That the Committee recommend to the House of Commons that it replace the current practice of having the Speaker recognize a Member to lead the House in singing the national anthem, and recommend that a rotating schedule of school choirs, both locally and from across Canada as available, be invited to sing the national anthem at the beginning of each Wednesday sitting.

We would like this change to be implemented as soon as possible in order to break this habit and help our colleagues in the House.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

You've heard me sing.

[Nycole Turmel, NDP, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

You sing? That's hard to hear.

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

Point of order, please.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Mr. Lukiwski.

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

Procedurally, I believe I'm correct when I say a motion to go in camera is non-debatable. We need to deal with that first, immediately. I'm not trying to delay Madame Turmel's motion, but I think we can deal with this fairly quickly in camera, because from our side, at least, we want to think about some witnesses, and then come back out. Then we can deal with Madame Turmel's motion in public, if you wish.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

You are in order now. You weren't in order the last time because you were doing it on a point of order for Mr. Lamoureux and I could not have you move that motion. But now you're in discussion so you've asked for a vote on going in camera. Is that correct?

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

Correct.

[Nycole Turmel, NDP, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

On this vote?

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

No, not on this one, on a witness list of future discussion.

It doesn't really matter.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

He's asking now to go in camera.

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

I'm moving we have a vote to go in camera.

[Nycole Turmel, NDP, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Can I ask a question on procedure?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

There's no debate on it, apparently. There is not supposed to be any discussion after that.

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

It's a question on procedure, that's all. Of course, we would allow someone to be clear on procedure.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Well, that's a lot like a point of order because that's all about the procedures. If it's a point of order, I suppose I could take it.

[Nycole Turmel, NDP, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Chair, this is a matter of procedure. The member asked that we sit in camera, but the motion I presented has nothing to do with the witness list. I cannot understand that we are unable to openly discuss a topic that, in principle, should be very light.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Now we're there.

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

We'll deal with the in camera motion very quickly.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Let's deal with that.

(Motion agreed to)

We will go in camera. I will pause for a couple of minutes while that happens.

[Proceedings continue in camera]

[Public proceedings resume]

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

We're back, and I'm going to recognize Madame Turmel.

[Nycole Turmel, NDP, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I know that you are currently in an electoral campaign. I do not want to comment on this one way or another, but I must say that I appreciate the calmness with which you are presiding over the committee's work.

I want to come back to my motion. Members and people who have been hearing the national anthem on Wednesdays commented to me. They think the way the anthem is sung is unfortunate. Most of us are not singers. They feel that the motion I am presenting today would remedy the situation. No partisanship would be involved. School choirs could come sing the national anthem on Wednesday. That is the goal of my motion.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Thank you.

Mr. Butt.

[Brad Butt, Conservative, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

I'd like to ask Madame Turmel a couple of questions.

Has she discussed this with the Speaker? There are a lot of logistics involved in this. I know this from OHL hockey games, when we have the schools come in. There are 30 or 40 kids. It's a logistical nightmare sometimes to do it. This is the House of Commons. There's security. There's getting kids here and back by bus. There are liabilities involved in that.

My first question is, have you discussed this with the Speaker? Is the Speaker okay with this change taking place, with 30 or 40 individuals every single Wednesday, potentially, coming in to sing O Canada? I'm assuming this would be done on the floor of the House of Commons. I don't know what those rules are.

Has this been discussed with the Speaker? Does the Speaker have no issue with this taking place? Are there other logistical things that we need to know about before we support this motion?

I'm not necessarily opposed to the motion, but I need some answers to these questions before I know this is actually going to work.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Madame Turmel, on that, please.

I've put Mr. Cullen on the list.