Procedure and House Affairs Committee on Dec. 8th, 2016

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, SK]

This is just a question, not a point or order or a point of clarification. Will these be the only suggested changes, or is there still opportunity for members to suggest other changes to the Standing Orders?

[Arnold Chan, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

I'd be open to ideas.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Let me answer that. This committee is master of its own destiny. We're charged with the Standing Orders, and if anyone wants to raise anything at any time, and we have consensus, then I don't see why we can't bring that forward. This is just the mandated opportunity under the Standing Orders.

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, SK]

No, that's great. I didn't know how you were operating, but—

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

We have a mandate to review the Standing Orders, so you can add stuff if your caucuses want to add things to this.

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, SK]

I would certainly add one, but I don't think I would even get support from my caucus—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Arnold Chan, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

So we have to apply your own rules.

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, SK]

No, no, I mean the rules would be....

I'd love to see a system enacted, as other parliaments have done throughout the world, where notes are not allowed. If you want to get up and make a speech, you don't have any notes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

Okay, except we're not doing the new suggestions right now.

Oh, it's in here.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Arnold Chan, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

But you do recognize that invariably means that both Garnet and Kevin will basically dominate.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[An hon. member]

Garnet uses notes now?

[Arnold Chan, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

Garnet does use notes.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

My only objective right now is to do a bit of trash collection, so one thing at a time.

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, SK]

No, that's fine.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

We can add new trash later.

[Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Liberal, Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB]

I think it's in there.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Yes, you can sponsor it now.

Let's get back to the meeting.

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

Topic 5 is questions following speeches: limit who can be recognized by the Speaker to ask questions following a speech to members from parties other than the member giving the speech.

Actually, the Speaker has already implemented that.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

But if nobody else's party gets up, he'll still come back from the same party. That would get rid of that. I won't defend that.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

I think it's a bad suggestion.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Yes, me too.

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

Okay, it's something we're not doing.

Topic 6 is to eliminate sharing or splitting of speaking times.

No one's championing that, good.

I'm neutral, sorry.