Procedure and House Affairs Committee on June 17th, 2021

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

It is the Chief Electoral Officer's amendment, where he proposes two days, Saturday and Sunday. When the CEO came last time, he had sent us a proposed amendment, and I would have liked to propose it. My colleague said earlier that I should wait and that we should follow the list. So I had understood that I had to wait for my turn to propose amendment BQ‑3.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ruby Sahota]

Mr. Clerk, I guess that one would be BQ-2.1, not BQ-3.

[Philippe Méla]

I'm not sure which amendment Mr. Therrien is referring to.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ruby Sahota]

He would like to move one from the floor. The CEO had made a recommendation.

[Philippe Méla]

I understand, but I have about half a dozen amendments. I'm not sure which one....

Mr. Therrien, which amendment is it?

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

It is the amendment that contains the following explanatory note:

The attached motions would amend Bill C‑19 to provide for a two-day polling period over a Saturday and Sunday. They would provide for polling stations to be open for 8 hours on each day of the polling period, for a total of 16 hours. The motion amending clause 3 would harmonize the maximum hours of operation for a polling station established in an institution where seniors or persons with a disability reside with the total opening hours of ordinary polling stations over the polling period, set at 16.

[Philippe Méla]

There's no problem, Mr. Therrien; I have your amendment.

I apologize, Madam Chair. Do I have the floor?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ruby Sahota]

Is that BQ-2.1 or BQ-3?

[Philippe Méla]

That would be BQ-2.1. It was in clause 3.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ruby Sahota]

It was in clause 3. We haven't completed the vote on that. CPC-6 would have affected it, but CPC-6 didn't pass so he can still move it at this point. Is that right?

[John Nater, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

Madam Chair, if I could suggest it, I know that we were in the middle of a vote, but I know that our CPC members would be willing to consent to suspend or cancel the vote and revert back.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ruby Sahota]

Thank you.

[John Nater, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

If it's the will of the committee, our members would be supportive of that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ruby Sahota]

I appreciate that very much.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

I'm really sorry; I had misunderstood.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ruby Sahota]

Monsieur Therrien, go ahead and move your BQ-2.1.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

I move amendment BQ‑2.1, which you have received, which contains what the CEO proposed himself.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ruby Sahota]

Yes.

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Madam Chair, if I could get on the list, please, I would appreciate being able to intervene.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ruby Sahota]

Okay.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Do you have it in hand? We sent it to you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ruby Sahota]

We're just going to have the clerk read the amendment into the record. Then we'll hear from those whose hands are raised.

[Philippe Méla]

I think the amendment was sent yesterday by the clerk of the committee.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ruby Sahota]

Yes.

[Philippe Méla]

The amendment reads that Bill C-19, in clause 3, be amended by replacing line 22 on page 4 with the following:

open for a total of more than 16 hours during that period.

Is it this one, Mr. Therrien?