Citizenship and Immigration Committee on March 12th, 2008

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Okay. But the honourable member is also referring to political affiliations--

[Thierry St-Cyr, Bloc, Jeanne-Le Ber, QC]

I want to stop because you emphasized that my remarks were not proper.

Second, I'm saying, precisely, that this is out of place. This kind of political consideration should not be part of the debate. If it hadn't been in a curriculum vitae, it wouldn't be before this committee. That's what I'm criticizing.

You're telling me that, according to Marleau and Montpetit, we shouldn't be discussing politics, whereas I'm saying the same thing. This kind of political statement is out of place. I'm saying the same thing as Marleau and Montpetit, Mr. Chairman.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Order.

The committee has no power to deny a person the right to put whatever they want in their resumé. What we're required to do here today is examine the appointment of these individuals. As for what a person chooses to put in their resumé, I guess that's up to them.

In any event, your time has now expired, Mr. St-Cyr.

Ms. Chow.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Ms. Daley, do you believe the Immigration and Refugee Board should have a refugee appeal division?

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Mr. Chair, on a point of order, I hope that when there's a point of order, the timing stops on that person's seven minutes. I have a stopwatch, and I want to make sure that's the case.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

I don't think there's any rule to that effect, but the committee is--

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

If not, I could make a point of order that would be at least seven minutes long and actually eat up everybody's time.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Well, I would ask all members to respect the fact that when you bring up a point of order, you are eating into a member's time.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Really?

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Yes. According to the clerk, we have no rule that would do that. I mean, if members are going to bring up points of order, then it should be noted that they are eating into the time. All members would have the same--

[Andrew Telegdi, Liberal, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Mr. Chair, I have a point of order.

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

Hold it, we have to deal with my point of order first.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Order, please.

I'm not hearing your point of order, Mr. Telegdi, until I hear the point of order that was made originally. Then I'll go to you.

Mr. Komarnicki.

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

I don't make a point of order to eat up another member's time, that's for sure. I make a point of order--

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

And the chair will manage the time effectively.

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

--when I think there's a reasonable point to it.

With regard to the question of whether one has an opinion on whether or not there should be an appeal board, that is a matter of policy, the kind of thing that governments might want to do. It's not for this witness to give her opinion. She's not here for that purpose. She's here to be examined in terms of qualifications for the job she's been appointed to do. Questions in that realm are appropriate, but this is outside that scope--like the attempt made by the previous speaker to try to get into an area that's not appropriate.

So that is the point of order, and I think there's a basis for it. The chair can rule however he wishes, but I think it's a matter of policy that has nothing to do with the competence for the duties required to be filled on the board.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

That's fine. I'll just move on.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

No, I have to rule on the point of order, Ms. Chow.

The point of order is a valid one, I'm told by the clerk. Members are not in a position to answer questions of policy. Those would go to officials, I suppose, or to the political minister--

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Chair, I already accepted that. Can I just move on? It's now four minutes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

I'm going to allow you some extra time, Ms. Chow. It's up to the chair to manage the time as well, and that's clear in the rules also.

[Andrew Telegdi, Liberal, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Mr. Chair, I had a point of order also.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Telegdi. Go ahead, sir.

[Andrew Telegdi, Liberal, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

I think this is important, because we have this happening all the time. The parliamentary secretary tends to overreact and raises a lot of points of order.

While you are considering a point of order, Mr. Chair, the proper way to deal with the time allocation is that you stop the clock from ticking at that point in time. Then you continue after you deal with the point of order to indeed ensure that the member speaking gets their proper time allotment.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

The chair appreciates your intervention, but the chair is governed by the rules of the House.

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

On a point of order, Mr. Chair--