Procedure and House Affairs Committee on March 7th, 2023

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

The interpreters will also have a copy of it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bardish Chagger]

While that is happening, I'll just say that today, March 21, is World Down Syndrome Day. I was pleased to be able to share with all of our colleagues socks from the Waterloo Wellington Down Syndrome Society. I want to give a shout-out to Caleb. Because I won't be in Waterloo to acknowledge March 21, I want to bring Caleb's greetings to all of you. I hope you do learn a little bit more. I know that many of you also already know about it.

It is exciting that I am from Waterloo and the vice-chair is from Wellington. It's a society that represents our region.

With that, I believe everyone has the amendment now.

We will call the question on Mr. Turnbull's amendment.

(Amendment negatived: nays 6; yeas 5 [See Minutes of Proceedings])

I will come back to you, Mr. Cooper, as I said I would.

Sophia, I want to thank you for calling that vote. The last time you called a vote it was unanimous, so I was hoping for the same outcome.

Mr. Cooper, the floor is yours.

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

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

Given the filibustering that had taken place over nearly a 24-hour period over four days, my motion proposed that Ms. Telford appear last week. Given that the time has passed, I now move an amendment to my motion.

It is that the motion be amended by replacing the words “during the week of March 13, 2023” with “between Monday, April 3, 2023 and Friday, April 14, 2023”.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bardish Chagger]

Is there any discussion?

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

I'll be very brief, Madam Chair.

This time frame recognizes that next week is budget week and provides a two-week window during the constituency weeks where this committee could convene and hear from Ms. Telford.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bardish Chagger]

Thank you, Mr. Cooper.

Are there other comments on this?

I have Mrs. Romanado.

[Sherry Romanado, Liberal, Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne, QC]

Madam Chair, just because we've had Ms. Blaney's motion that passed as amended, I want to make sure it's very clear.

We have some substitutes on committee today. I'd like to make sure that we all have the right motion that Mr. Cooper is referring to. Is it possible to make sure that we all have what he's proposing circulated to us?

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bardish Chagger]

The amendment has been distributed, Sophia has confirmed, so why don't we just take a second to check our inboxes to see if it has been received?

Sophia, if we can perhaps have a printed copy, that would be great.

I understand that everyone has received it.

Mr. Cooper, I'm just going to ask you to reread it into the record, if that's okay, to make sure we're all on the same page.

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

I propose that the motion as amended by Ms. Blaney be amended by replacing the words “during the week of March 13, 2023” with “between Monday, April 3, 2023, and Friday, April 14, 2023”.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bardish Chagger]

We have the amendment in front of us. Does anyone want to discuss this?

Go ahead, Mr. Fergus.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Madam Chair, I will have another amendment to offer in a moment about a minimum of two hours, but I think we should dispense with this first.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bardish Chagger]

Would you like to “friendly amend” this one? This would change the date to a period, and then the three hours.... If that's what you're changing, we could do it at the same time.

Would there be a desire to have a friendly amendment?

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

There's been a lot of confusion. We've had a lot of different motions, amendments and subamendments over a period of time.

I would suggest that we dispense with my amendment to the motion as amended. If Mr. Julian wishes to then move an amendment, we can deliberate on that.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

That would be easier.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bardish Chagger]

Mr. Fergus, you have the floor.

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

I want to make sure I understand, Madam Chair.

We had some very useful and fruitful discussions, but I would like to make sure that what Mr. Julian is going to move is in order.

Can the clerk or the chair confirm that?

[The Chair, Liberal, Bardish Chagger]

All right.

Should Mr. Julian wish to make an amendment to Mr. Cooper's amendment, he could do so now. However, because Mr. Julian wishes to move another amendment—he wants to change the number of hours—we will do that afterwards.

I don't see any hands. I'm going to call the question on Mr. Cooper's amendment.

(Amendment agreed to: yeas 11; nays 0 [See Minutes of Proceedings])

I see your hand up, Mr. Julian.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I think this will probably be the last amendment. Hopefully, we'll be able to vote on the main motion.

I'd like to change, after “to appear” to add “for a minimum of two hours”. It would read, “invite Katie Telford, Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, to appear for a minimum of two hours by herself”. It would then go on to the amendment from Mr. Cooper.

The French version reads as follows: “à comparaître seule pendant un minimum de deux heures.”

[The Chair, Liberal, Bardish Chagger]

You are changing it to “a minimum of two hours” and for her to appear by herself.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

I would change “to appear alone for three hours by herself”, to “appear for a minimum of two hours by herself”.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bardish Chagger]

I'm going to take names, and it's going to be Monsieur Berthold.

Mr. Berthold, did you raise your hand? No?

Mr. Cooper has the floor, followed by Ms. Sahota.

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

No, Madam Chair, I'm prepared to potentially accept this as a friendly amendment. I just want to confirm—

[The Chair, Liberal, Bardish Chagger]

This is not a friendly amendment, because we voted on yours, so this is a new amendment.

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

That's right. It's my motion.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bardish Chagger]

We've voted on your amendment, Mr. Cooper.

I'm going to have Mrs. Sahota on the list followed by Mrs. Romanado.