Evidence of meeting #66 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 42nd Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was commons.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Bardish Chagger Liberal Waterloo, ON
I do not feel that I need to share that information at this time.
Conservative
Jamie Schmale Conservative Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON
We're just curious, since it's open and transparent. I'm just taking from your remarks that it's open and transparent.
Liberal
Conservative
Jamie Schmale Conservative Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON
So how do we make a judgment going forward as to whether this candidate is the right one if we don't have confidence in the process to get that person here?
Liberal
Bardish Chagger Liberal Waterloo, ON
I believe you should have confidence in the process, and I have confidence in the members of this committee to ask tough questions.
Conservative
Jamie Schmale Conservative Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON
I just need to know who's on that search committee, if you don't mind.
Liberal
Bardish Chagger Liberal Waterloo, ON
Mr. Chair, through you, I will remind the member that I think he's a hard-working member. I have confidence that he will ask tough questions. I had the opportunity to meet a member of his team. She was fabulous, and I hope to be able to connect with her. I'm sure his team only reflects his hard work. I'm sure he will make Canadians proud with the level of questions that he asks the nominated Clerk, and that's why it's important that the Clerk be present.
Conservative
Jamie Schmale Conservative Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON
Thank you. I appreciate those kind words, and I have mutual respect for you as well.
But there is a bit of frustration on our side regarding the rush to move this forward. Can you tell us if the Speaker of the House of Commons was consulted on this decision before it was made public?
Liberal
Bardish Chagger Liberal Waterloo, ON
Mr. Chair, I think it's important that I address the Standing Orders. I know how much time was used on this debate within this committee. I know that members were very interested in this topic, and that's why I felt that I owed it to all committee members to be present, and that's why I came here with undivided attention to be available to committee members, to talk about the Standing Orders, because I really do appreciate the work that members have been doing.
Conservative
Jamie Schmale Conservative Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON
Minister, respectfully, I do too, but also the Clerk and the Speaker are the parties in the chamber.
Liberal
Ruby Sahota Liberal Brampton North, ON
On a point of order, I think so much repetition has gone on here. The minister has answered. If we'd like to get back to the point of the Standing Orders, it would be appreciated.
Conservative
Jamie Schmale Conservative Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON
Mr. Chair, as we know, the Speaker and—
Liberal
Ruby Sahota Liberal Brampton North, ON
We need to get back to the relevant matter at hand, Mr. Chair, and the relevant matter is the Standing Orders.
Conservative
Jamie Schmale Conservative Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON
If we're talking about the Standing Orders, the guardians of those Standing Orders are the Clerk and the Speaker.
Liberal
Ruby Sahota Liberal Brampton North, ON
We'll have an opportunity to question the Clerk next on that, but right now we're wasting our time on the matter at hand.
Conservative
Jamie Schmale Conservative Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON
I need to know about the process first.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell
Hold it. Hold it.
On point of order, Ms. Tassi, and then Mr. Richards.
Liberal
Filomena Tassi Liberal Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON
Mr. Chair, we're getting to the point where I feel that the witness is being badgered. This point has been made. She has graciously responded to questions that are outside the topic of today, and now there have been repeated questions over and over again, and a response that's somewhat unsatisfactory to her response. She's been kind enough to enter into discussion and respond to questions that are far outside what we came here for today.
I'm going to ask you, Mr. Chair, to redirect all members, when they're asking questions from here on in, to ask the questions on the topic that we came here to talk about today, which is the Standing Orders.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell
Sorry, there are only two minutes left and we have two more speakers on the point of order, Mr. Richards and Mr. Dubé.
Conservative
Blake Richards Conservative Banff—Airdrie, AB
Mr. Chair, when I hear about this idea of badgering someone, we have members of the government trying to prevent opposition members from asking questions that are relevant to the subject matter at hand, despite whether or not they think they're relevant, and they're continually with points of order trying to shut down questions that are important and very germane to a decision that this committee has to make and very helpful to the committee. We're unfortunately not getting responses, but there certainly are a number of questions, and Mr. Schmale is asking them in a very respectful manner. It is really quite unfortunate that the government is trying to shut down and prevent that opportunity for the opposition to ask those questions.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell
Mr. Dubé, there's about one minute left in the minister's appearance.
NDP
Matthew Dubé NDP Beloeil—Chambly, QC
I just want to raise quickly that the partisan fighting between these two parties has probably cut away the few minutes I would have had with the minister, so I think that's worth pointing out in the spirit of collegiality and wanting to make Parliament work better.