Evidence of meeting #40 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 work.

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On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Thomas Mulcair  Leader of the Official Opposition and Leader of the New Democratic Party, NDP

11:10 a.m.

Leader of the Official Opposition and Leader of the New Democratic Party, NDP

Thomas Mulcair

Every step of the way this was discussed with the people here in the House of Commons—

11:10 a.m.

Conservative

Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON

A point of order, Mr. Chair—

11:10 a.m.

Leader of the Official Opposition and Leader of the New Democratic Party, NDP

Thomas Mulcair

—and that is the address, Mr. Woodworth.

11:10 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Joe Preston

Mr. Woodworth has a point of order.

11:10 a.m.

Conservative

Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The question was really quite simple and capable of a yes or no answer.

Mr. Mulcair began to run on, I assume with the intention of delaying my next question. That's not the way it works in committee. Mr. Mulcair had his five minutes to make his explanations, self-exculpatory or not. I would be grateful if you would instruct the witness to simply answer the questions and allow me to move on to my next questions.

11:10 a.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC

On this same point of order, Mr. Chair....

11:10 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Joe Preston

Certainly.

11:10 a.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC

Well, having been around here for 10 years and having seen Conservative ministers responding to questions, every single time they ask for some time to elaborate. I think Mr. Woodworth is being just a bit disingenuous if he pretends that's not the practice here. As you know, Mr. Chair, that's how committees function. We allow the witnesses to give the response that they need to give.

11:15 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Joe Preston

Thank you, Mr. Julian.

It's not completely a point of order, but let's, from a cooperation point of view, try to keep questions and answers about the same length and see if we can just get that done that way.

Mr. Woodworth.

11:15 a.m.

Leader of the Official Opposition and Leader of the New Democratic Party, NDP

Thomas Mulcair

I'd like to finish my answer, Mr. Chairman.

11:15 a.m.

Conservative

Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON

Mr. Chair, I'd like to ask my next question, and that is, Mr. Mulcair—

11:15 a.m.

Leader of the Official Opposition and Leader of the New Democratic Party, NDP

Thomas Mulcair

I did not get to give a complete answer to Mr. Woodworth—

11:15 a.m.

Conservative

Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON

—were these staff paid by taxpayer dollars through the House of Commons, yes or no?

May 15th, 2014 / 11:15 a.m.

Leader of the Official Opposition and Leader of the New Democratic Party, NDP

Thomas Mulcair

Mr. Woodworth, your question was whether or not the employees were working on Saint-Laurent.

The answer is that they were initially located on Papineau Street, and then they—

11:15 a.m.

Conservative

Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON

Mr. Chair, on a point of order, the question was answered. I would like to move on to my next question—

11:15 a.m.

Leader of the Official Opposition and Leader of the New Democratic Party, NDP

Thomas Mulcair

No, sir, I am giving you the full answer to your question.

They were initially located on Papineau Street, and then they were located on Saint-Laurent Street. It was all approved at every stage by the House of Commons pay and benefits service, as discussed with the House.

11:15 a.m.

Conservative

Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON

Mr. Chair, I didn't ask about approvals—

11:15 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Joe Preston

On a point of order, Mr. Woodworth...?

11:15 a.m.

Conservative

Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON

Yes, Mr. Chair. I did not ask about approvals. I would like to ask my next question, and I don't appreciate the witness preventing me from doing so.

11:15 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Joe Preston

I will—

11:15 a.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC

On the same point of order, Mr. Chair, if Mr. Woodworth would actually listen to the response that was given by the Leader of the Opposition, he could see that there were actually two parts in the answer to his question. If he does want the answers, he has to listen to them.

11:15 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Joe Preston

That's debate, Mr. Julian.

We'll let the questioner ask the questions and the witness answer the questions, and hopefully we'll get this going.

Mr. Woodworth.

11:15 a.m.

Conservative

Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Mulcair, these staff were paid by taxpayer dollars through the House of Commons, yes or no?

11:15 a.m.

Leader of the Official Opposition and Leader of the New Democratic Party, NDP

Thomas Mulcair

Every step of the way, we were in discussion with pay and benefits of the House of Commons, who sent the BlackBerry numbers for the Montreal phones—

11:15 a.m.

Conservative

Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON

Don't you know whether they were paid by taxpayer dollars, Mr. Mulcair?