Human Resources Committee on May 17th, 2007

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

No, it's the amendment that he made, and we're voting on that right now.

(Amendment agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

So I will go back to the motion as amended. If there is no further discussion, I'll call the question on that.

(Motion as amended agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Congratulations, Mr. Savage.

[Mario Silva, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Chair, I'd like to abstain from that vote, because I don't want to support the amendment.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Okay.

Mr. Lessard.

[Mario Silva, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

It's confidential documents. It's a right of parliamentarians.

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

Are we—

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Hold on. The motion has been carried.

Mr. Lessard, do you have a comment?

[Yves Lessard, Bloc, Chambly—Borduas, QC]

Mr. Chairman, based on what I discover after consulting with some people, I may appeal this motion. As Mr. Silva so aptly put it, we appear to be agreeing, with this motion, to restrict the right of members to obtain documents or information by virtue of their status as members of Parliament. Therefore, I will reconsider this matter based on my findings.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Thank you very much. I will just state once again that the wording, as has been explained by the clerk, is redundant. It covers what we already know.

Mr. Lake, did you have any further comments before I adjourn the meeting?

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

No.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Ms. Yelich, would you like to speak?

[Lynne Yelich, Conservative, Blackstrap, SK]

Yes, I would like to adjourn, but—

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

We're in class now. I have to recognize you first.

[Lynne Yelich, Conservative, Blackstrap, SK]

—before we adjourn, I would like to have Mr. Savage say what Service Canada area is having such a problem that they are just tearing their hair out. Is it your home city?

[Michael Savage, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

That would be one of them, but a number of MPs have indicated that they have good relations with—

[Lynne Yelich, Conservative, Blackstrap, SK]

Service Canada is upset and they're not very happy—

[Michael Savage, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Service Canada employees are indicating to members of Parliament that they don't like the new criteria.

[Lynne Yelich, Conservative, Blackstrap, SK]

But yours in particular?

[Michael Savage, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Well, I'm not going to talk to you about specifics. What do you want, names, addresses, phone numbers? Home addresses? Neighbours?

[Lynne Yelich, Conservative, Blackstrap, SK]

That's a pretty unfair comment. They should be able to come to us if they're having—

[Michael Savage, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

If there's one thing we know about this government, they can take pretty strong reprisals against not only MPs but others. So I'm not going to mention any names—

[Lynne Yelich, Conservative, Blackstrap, SK]

That's not even what I'm getting at.

[Michael Savage, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

—and that's an inappropriate question to ask.

[Lynne Yelich, Conservative, Blackstrap, SK]

It was an inappropriate remark.