Procedure and House Affairs Committee on Dec. 5th, 2024

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Very quickly, I want to add a couple of things.

I'm new to this committee. I've just been observing here for the last little while. What I find interesting is that the coalition is very strong between the Liberals and the NDP. It's very clear, from what I've observed here, that the support is going back and forth.

I also want to point out that the NDP apparently.... I think the situation here is that they got caught in this. They tried to say they wanted to roll this back to the original date, as if to say, “Oops, this was a mistake.” I'm looking at a picture of when Dominic LeBlanc was announcing this. I believe Daniel Blaikie from the NDP was there. The NDP wrote this legislation with the Liberals. This was not a mistake. This was a case of someone getting caught. It was the NDP that got caught. For them to all of a sudden fess up and say, “Oops, you know, it was just an honest mistake” is quite preposterous.

I just wanted to make that very clear. I don't buy it. I don't think Canadians buy it. Canadians want an election. If the NDP were serious about this, quite frankly, they would vote against the government tonight when we have some bills, and we would be in an election as of tomorrow.

I just wanted to point that out to the committee. I think it's important that we recognize it.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ben Carr]

Colleagues, we have no additional speakers. We're going right to a vote on the subamendment.

(Subamendment negatived: nays 7; yeas 4)

Colleagues, this means we now resume debate on the amendment.

Is there a point of order somewhere?

[Kody Blois, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Chair, I just listened to the Conservatives talk about the importance of pensions and not bringing into disrepute why people serve in Parliament. Ms. Barron's amendment right now would make sure that MPs who served in 2019 aren't inadvertently getting a pension, so let's just bring this....

[The Chair, Liberal, Ben Carr]

I appreciate what you're asking for, but you don't have the floor, Mr. Blois.

Mr. Cooper does have the floor.

[Kody Blois, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Please let us do this right now.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ben Carr]

Is there a point of order, Mr. Turnbull?

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Whitby, ON]

Yes, on a point of order, I want to clarify something, Chair. Mr. Cooper had the floor when he moved his subamendment. After that subamendment was debated and voted on—

[The Chair, Liberal, Ben Carr]

He retains the floor.

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Whitby, ON]

Okay.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ben Carr]

However, Mr. Turnbull, I do have you next on that speaking list.

I have Mr. Cooper.

[Damien Kurek, Conservative, Battle River—Crowfoot, AB]

I have a point of order, Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ben Carr]

Yes, Mr. Kurek.

[Damien Kurek, Conservative, Battle River—Crowfoot, AB]

I'd like to be put on the speaking list.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ben Carr]

You don't need to raise a point of order for that, but thank you. You could just give me a nudge, nudge, wink, wink next time.

Mr. Cooper, go ahead.

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'm going to be moving a subamendment that amendment NDP-2 proposing to amend clause 5 of Bill C-65 be amended by adding the following after “tion”: “However, the first general election after this section comes into force is to be held”—

[The Chair, Liberal, Ben Carr]

Mr. Cooper, I'm going to interrupt you briefly. The clerk doesn't have this. I'm going to ask your team, as you're reading this into the record, to please have this translated into both official languages and sent to the clerk for distribution. This is a point that members on this side were upset with me about earlier, and I want to make sure that we're consistent.

Mr. Cooper, continue.

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

We will be sure to get that to the clerk as soon as possible.

Let me read that again. It is that amendment NDP-2, proposing to amend clause 5 of Bill C-65, be amended by adding the following after “tion.”:

However, the first general election after this section comes into force is to be held on the later of (a) Monday, February 24, 2025, and (b) subject to subsection (3), the Monday following the 50th day after the day on which this section comes into force.

(3) For the purpose of paragraph (2)(b), if the Monday referred to in that paragraph is a holiday, the polling day shall be held on the Tuesday after that Monday and any time specified under this Act before or after polling day is to be calculated as if polling day were the Monday.

[Ron McKinnon, Liberal, Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC]

I have a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ben Carr]

I have Mr. McKinnon.

[Ron McKinnon, Liberal, Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC]

It seems to me that this subamendment basically replicates the subamendment that we just defeated. I would suggest that on that basis it's out of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ben Carr]

I'm just in the process of discussing that. Because I don't have a physical copy, I was trying to keep one ear open to Mr. Cooper and another ear open to a discussion with my legislative clerk.

Nonetheless, I'm going to suspend temporarily because (a) it needs to be distributed and (b) I need a judgment call on this. I'm keeping an eye on the clock as well.

I'm suspending very briefly, colleagues. Don't go anywhere.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ben Carr]

Colleagues, upon consultation, it is an admissible amendment.

However, resources have now expired, colleagues, and the meeting is adjourned.