Citizenship and Immigration Committee on Jan. 30th, 2007

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

I saw Mr. Komarnicki signal first on a point of order.

Mr. Komarnicki.

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

Stop the time.

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

I'll defer to Mr. Devolin, and depending on what his point of order is I'll deal with mine.

[Barry Devolin, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

I was just asking for clarification. This is getting back to the process, as opposed to qualifications. I would like a ruling from the chair as to whether that question is in order.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Among the areas usually considered to be outside the scope of the committee's study are the political affiliation of the appointee or nominee, contributions to political parties, and the nature of the nomination process itself. So if you're asking about the nature of the nomination process, I would have to rule it out of order.

Is that what you're into, Mr. Wilson?

[Blair Wilson, Liberal, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

I was asking the witness to explain his experience in going through that process--

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Do you mean the nomination process?

[Blair Wilson, Liberal, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

Yes, that's what I meant--and how he was able to discuss his qualifications, his experience, what he brought forward. I spoke about being a dishwasher and--

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

If it's the nomination process--

[Blair Wilson, Liberal, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

I didn't think it was that contentious a question.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

If it's the nomination process, again I can only quote—

[Blair Wilson, Liberal, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

Or screening process.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

—what's in Marleau and Montpetit. That is, the nature of the nomination process itself is outside the scope of the questions that we will ask—

[Blair Wilson, Liberal, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

But I'm not asking his opinion on the process, I'm just asking about his experience going through it.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Experience going through the process, is that what you're asking him?

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

Mr. Chair, on that point of order also—

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

I'll hear two more. I'll hear you, Mr. Karygiannis, and I'll hear Mr. Siksay.

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

I'd like to challenge your ruling, Mr. Chair, on what you did with me—

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

We have to deal with this point of order.

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

On the same point of order—

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Order. I want to deal with this point of order.

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

On the same point of order, Mr. Chair.... Put your gavel down and at least give me the opportunity to speak on it.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Yes, but you indicated that it was a new point of order.

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

On this point of order, Mr. Chair, I think you're going along the same way that you did with me. I think that certainly is a challenge of the chair that needs to be done, because the question was for the witness to bring his experience forward. I realize that you might be wanting to rule that out of order, but I'd like to challenge your—

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

I haven't made a ruling yet.