Evidence of meeting #68 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 point.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell
The clerk says the dilatory motion is legally on the floor, so we have to have a vote on it.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
Even though you didn't give the mover of the motion a chance to speak just because technically David got on the list first? You're going to let this whole thing be shut down based on that, Chair.
Conservative
Blake Richards Conservative Banff—Airdrie, AB
Further to that point, I believed I did have the floor. I was simply allowing a courtesy because I was moving forward something that we hadn't seen in a while. I was simply allowing the documents to be distributed, and I kind of paused to allow that to happen. I would have believed I had the floor at that point.
Liberal
Chris Bittle Liberal St. Catharines, ON
The clerk has advised us of the rules. It should proceed to a vote.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
Welcome to the new era.
Okay. We can play that way, too.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell
We are going to suspend just for a minute so I can discuss this with the clerk.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell
I'm prepared to rule on that point of order. I think Mr. Richards is right in the sense that it's a courtesy for the person who proposed the motion to have the first speaking slot. It's not a rule but it's often the way things are done. I apologize that I didn't leave time for that, but I did recognize Mr. Graham in the process, so I have to allow the vote to proceed. Nevertheless, I apologize to Mr. Richards for not going to him first in the time when nothing was happening.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
Chair, with the greatest respect, you just acknowledged that your mistake caused a member to lose his right, a right he would otherwise have. You have the means to fix that by giving Mr. Richards the floor. I find it hard to believe that you would articulate a right denied, recognize that you caused it, and then not take the opportunity to fix it.
Conservative
Blake Richards Conservative Banff—Airdrie, AB
Mr. Chair, I too find it disappointing that you would make such a ruling, because you do have the opportunity to correct the mistake you made in recognizing somebody else while I had the floor. I'll just point out that I don't think it would have taken a lot of time to deal with bringing forward this motion. I noticed that the member, Mr. Spengemann, was present. I'm not here to try to assassinate someone's character. In fact, it's the very opposite. I'm trying to give him an opportunity.
Liberal
Scott Simms Liberal Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL
He had a point of order, and now he's actually talking about his motion.
Conservative
Blake Richards Conservative Banff—Airdrie, AB
Hold on, Mr. Simms, I'm in the middle of a point of order here.
Liberal
Conservative
Blake Richards Conservative Banff—Airdrie, AB
I'm getting to that. There was an opportunity for the member, while he was here, to clarify and hopefully be able to...There are allegations that hang over his head, and he should have the opportunity to correct those. I was simply making that attempt. and I would have explained that, had I been given the opportunity I was due, given that I did have the floor. I think it would have been appropriate for you to make that ruling. Maybe you can still reconsider, Mr. Chair.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell
In regard to Mr. Christopherson's point, I talked about a courtesy and a procedure that often occurs, but I didn't suggest that I had taken away a person's right.
So I'll call the vote.
Conservative
Scott Reid Conservative Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, ON
My understanding of how the rules work is that as long as Mr. Richards hasn't surrendered the floor, he has it. So if you're ruling that Mr. Graham had the floor, then I'm challenging that ruling.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell
Okay, the ruling is challenged. We have to vote on whether the ruling of the chair should be sustained.
