Evidence of meeting #32 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was clause.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ruby Sahota
Eventually, there will be a similar concept and you can definitely save your question for then.
Next is BQ-1.
Bloc
Conservative
Karen Vecchio Conservative Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON
This amendment reduces voting at a polling station at a long-term care institution from 12 hours during the 14-day period ending on election day to six hours during the same 14-day period.
One of the things that we've heard a lot about is our long-term health care. We've talked a lot about what the best thing is to ensure that we're not spreading any virus and that all the workers and everybody else is safe. This is something that we have put in as an amendment.
Liberal
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ruby Sahota
Yes, we can.
(Amendment negatived: nays 7; yeas 4 [See Minutes of Proceedings])
(Clause 1 as amended agreed to)
(Clause 2 agreed to)
(On clause 3)
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ruby Sahota
Mr. Therrien, I believe you have BQ‑2, and perhaps one that you'd like to move from the floor today as well—BQ‑2.1, maybe?
Alain Therrien Bloc La Prairie, QC
Instead of amendment BQ‑3, we would have put forward the amendment proposed by the Chief Electoral Officer, because it is more comprehensive. I therefore withdraw Amendment BQ‑2.
I don't know if you want us to talk about amendment BQ‑3 immediately, or follow the list and come back to it later.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ruby Sahota
CPC‑6 comes next. Basically, if CPC‑6 carries, there will be a line item that is in conflict with BQ‑3.
Perhaps our legislative clerk can explain that a little bit better.
Legislative Clerk
Madam Chair, I will do it in French for Mr. Therrien.
Amendment BQ‑3 deals with clause 4. We are at clause 3. So you should wait to move your new amendment.
As for the amendments that are being discussed at the moment, we will consider them one by one.
Bloc
Alain Therrien Bloc La Prairie, QC
All right; that's fine.
So we are simply going to withdraw amendment BQ‑2.
Liberal
Liberal
Stéphane Lauzon Liberal Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation, QC
Madam Chair, do we need unanimous consent to remove this amendment?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ruby Sahota
No. If the mover doesn't want to move it, then that's fine. There's no consent needed.
Conservative
Karen Vecchio Conservative Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON
I would like to move this amendment. It would reduce voting at a polling station at a long-term care institution from 28 hours during the 16-day period, ending on election, to six hours during the same 16-day period.
This is something that we've continued to talk about in terms of long-term care homes, so I would like to move that amendment.
Conservative
John Nater Conservative Perth—Wellington, ON
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I will be very brief on this. This is something that we talked about. We wanted to hear witnesses on the impact this would have on long-term care homes. Obviously, this is an amendment that we think is appropriate to reduce the risk or harm with regard to long-term care homes. I want to put it on the record that we were not able to hear from long-term care homes. Obviously, we heard from organizations prior to this legislation being tabled last fall in the study the committee undertook, but we did not hear from subject matter experts on this issue related to the bill.
I just want to put that on the record as one of the reasons that we're moving this, noting, again, that it would have been nice to have had subject matter experts speak to this as it relates to long-term care homes.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ruby Sahota
That's noted, Mr. Nater. I wish we did have more time.
We'll have a recorded vote on CPC-6.
(Amendment negatived: nays 7; yeas 4 [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ruby Sahota
We're at the end of clause 3.
Clause 3 has not been amended. Clause 3 had BQ-2, which wasn't moved, and then CPC-6 was defeated.
Conservative
Bloc
Alain Therrien Bloc La Prairie, QC
Excuse me, I know I'm getting in the way of our process right now, but would you be so kind as to tell me if the amendment I want to move, the Chief Electoral Officer's amendment, is related to clause 3?
If it is, I think I missed the opportunity to move it.
Liberal