Evidence of meeting #16 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was democracy.
A video is available from Parliament.
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
Thank you, Mr. Lukiwski.
We'll go back to you, Mr. Christopherson.
12:50 p.m.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
I appreciate the help, because I was looking for a segue to get to the gong show, and my friend provided it nicely, but let's just take apart what was just said. Let's listen to that.
It would be interesting to read Hansard to get the exact wording. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the essence of what he said was that all these demonstrations would be somehow what would happen instead of doing hearings.
This is the fallacy of the image they're trying to project. They're trying to suggest that there's going to be such a gong show and circus that no work will get done. Well, that's not true at all, because, Chair, you wouldn't let it happen. You would not let it happen.
12:50 p.m.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
Oh, I'm sorry, Chair, do you consider this to be a gong show?
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
12:50 p.m.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
Okay, because I would assume, and I have great faith, that you would ensure the hearings that need to take place will. I'd be the first one to say that we would make sure, if it's necessary, that we take all the security measures necessary so we could have that meeting. What worries me is a government that suddenly sees this as going into enemy territory, that they have to wear camouflage clothes and go in with combat boots on because somehow their own democracy is going to attack them. Come on.
There might be, or there might not be. I'm using the government's worst case scenario for why they won't hold a hearing. There may be some demonstrators. You know what, Chair? There are demonstrations here on Parliament Hill all the time. All the time, there are all kinds of public demonstrations, from a handful to tens of thousands. I'm not aware, and I stand to be corrected, that any of those demonstrations have caused a greater impact on our ability to work than, say, a visit from the President of the United States of America in terms of the disruption caused. I don't think it's even that great. Most of the time, Chair, when we're in the House or in committee and doing our work, somebody's protesting somewhere on Parliament Hill, or they're lobbying, or moving around. There are citizens here.
Well, that's all that's going to happen, if it happens at all. We'll go somewhere, to Churchill, to Nunavut, or to Vancouver. We have our meeting place. Everything is all set. When we arrive, there are some people who have been outside exercising their democratic right to say something. We walk in, put our books on the table, go get a coffee or a glass of water or juice, sit down, and then we start working.
So what the member said.... This is the essence of the problem. The image, Chair, what the honourable member said, was that there would be all this commotion and therefore we couldn't do our work. That's what's not true. We can ensure that Canadians can exercise their right to have their voices heard and say what they think about Canadian politics, Canadian politicians, and Canadian governments. They will do it peacefully and they will respectfully allow all members and their staff to enter the room and take their place. Then we do the hard work.
12:55 p.m.
Conservative
Tom Lukiwski Conservative Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK
Sounds like you've already got it all organized.
12:55 p.m.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
That is exactly how it would unfold and how it should unfold. It's important, because the government suggests that as soon as there's anything outside the committee room, that somehow negates the ability to do any kind of business.
In their mind, maybe, and in their fearful mind, where every Canadian is a potential enemy, I suppose you'd see it that way, but the fact remains, if you look at it the other way, that all we're doing—
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB
Yes. For my own personal future reference, Mr. Chair, when we do adjourn in a few minutes, is it safe to assume, then, that we would just continue on at the beginning of Tuesday's meeting with the speaking list that's currently in place?
12:55 p.m.
Conservative
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB
A new meeting, so it would be a new list? Can I be put on that list?
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB
Just so you're aware, I would like to be, because I have quite a bit that I'd like to share.
12:55 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
We do have another motion besides Mr. Christopherson's. We haven't finished his yet, but we do have another motion already that would need to be spoken to and eventually voted on.
Of course, while I have the floor, I'll say that we would like to start some strategy as to how we will do this study, talk about when witnesses would come, and how many of the 13 meeting days we have until the dates that have been mentioned here would be filled.
I'll go back to Mr. Christopherson and let him finish.
12:55 p.m.
Conservative
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB
—I also have a motion. I guess I'll just provide a copy of it to the clerk.
12:55 p.m.
Conservative
12:55 p.m.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
Thanks, Chair.
I have two things here.
First, you mentioned 13 days. I would just point out that this is following the usual scheduled meetings we have.
12:55 p.m.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
Nothing in the rules would prevent us from meeting every day for two or three weeks if we wanted to.