Human Resources Committee on Dec. 8th, 2009

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

Which bill, and when was it, which year?

[Raymonde Folco, Liberal, Laval—Les Îles, QC]

Do you mind my giving him the information?

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Go ahead.

[Raymonde Folco, Liberal, Laval—Les Îles, QC]

I referred to Bill C-303. It was presented in the first session of the 39th Parliament, 2006-07, and I'm referring to clause 4, which is called “Exemption”.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

My memory is that it was actually before the vote on Quebec being recognized as a nation.

[Raymonde Folco, Liberal, Laval—Les Îles, QC]

I couldn't say. You asked me the date of the bill, and I'm giving it to you.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

It was, because I voted for that clause. I was very happy do so and very proud to recognize the distinct society of Quebec as a nation at that time.

I just find it interesting that the first argument was a constitutional infringement argument, and now the second argument is the nation, which obviously placed second in time to this opt-out clause being used before. I just found that interesting.

What I was going to say, Mr. Chair, and what I was interested in is just letting these particular persons know--especially Monsieur Lessard--how important a national housing strategy could be to this country, especially having regard to what's going on in Fort McMurray. Of course it's my constituency, but I just want to make sure that people recognize that we have what I would say are the highest prices in Canada for single-family dwellings. In fact, there are hundreds and hundreds of people living in tents on the sides of the rivers--even during winter--just because of the cost of housing.

So I certainly think that it would be a shame to see this bill come to a place where it can't be utilized on a national basis to actually help the economy of the nation as well as the people of the nation who can't afford their own housing.

I just wanted to make that comment, because certainly that has been my number one issue since I've been elected here, almost six years. Housing is a real problem in northern Alberta, and I just wanted to bring that to his attention.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

I've got only one person left on the list and we will call the question after this intervention.

Mr. Komarnicki.

[Ed Komarnicki, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

Mr. Chairman, given where we're at, and how critical and pivotal this point is to the rest of the bill, and the fact that, clearly, there is an issue about its appropriateness, I would move that this decision of the committee be appealed to the Speaker and that this committee adjourn the clause-by-clause hearing until it has received a ruling by the Speaker. Speaking to that motion, it would make good common sense to have that before we go further, at least that much.

I would appeal to the good judgment of at least one member of this committee. What are we doing without getting at least the opinion of the Speaker of the House on this matter before we proceed? What we'll do then is have a definitive decision made whereby we can either proceed or not proceed.

I would urge members to support this motion. It still leaves the clause as it now sits, without us voting on the clause, but it has at least a higher-level ruling before we go forward. I would ask at least one member of the opposition to see the good sense in that and support us.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Okay.

That's all the comment I have on that. We do have a motion before us that we need to deal with.

[An hon. member]

We moved a motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

You can't move a motion; we're already dealing with a motion.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

I would move an amendment to that motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Okay, you want to move an amendment to this motion now?

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

To the motion that's on the floor.

The amendment would be “and that this matter not be dealt with until such time as we receive the ruling from the Speaker in relation to its validity here”.

Then you can debate that motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

I'm going to rule that amendment out of order because it doesn't deal with the motion at hand.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

How so, Mr. Chair, if I can just ask for that clarity in relation to your ruling?

Certainly it deals with the motion at hand. I would argue that it does. How could it not?

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

What, are you challenging the chair all of a sudden? Are you crazy?

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

No, I'm asking for clarity. Is that a problem?

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Once again, thank you, Mr. Jean. It deals with procedure, but not the actual content, so I'm going to rule that out of order.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

Even though it deals directly with the issue of validity?

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Yes. Okay?

All right, if there are no other comments, then.... Okay, Mr. Lessard.

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

Mr. Chair, I have only one question to clarify the procedure.

Given that this has changed what the committee agreed to for the process, there has to be unanimous agreement to have approval to appeal to the Speaker. If anyone here doesn't want that, it is automatically rejected. Am I mistaken?

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

No, anyone can appeal to the Speaker about a ruling that has been made by the chair. But we have to go through the bill first and deal with it before it can be appealed to the Speaker.

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

I think we have the same understanding, Mr. Chair. It's about the appeal. Mr. Komarnicki is moving an appeal. Is that in order? If you say it is in order...