Evidence of meeting #1 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Clerk of the Committee  Mr. Andrew Chaplin

10:05 a.m.

NDP

Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON

Can that be distributed? It was quickly read out. I just want to compare the difference between it and what we had before, because it's slightly more complex. If you have a copy, is that possible?

10:05 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Tilson

You know, we seem to have gotten out of the meeting.

Monsieur St-Cyr, we're going to continue with the debate on Mr. Dykstra's motion. If there is no more debate, we are going--

10:05 a.m.

NDP

Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON

On a point of order, can I just get a copy of the motion?

10:05 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Tilson

I'm sorry, Ms. Chow, I thought you had one.

10:05 a.m.

NDP

Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON

No, I did not get a copy.

10:05 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Tilson

So we don't have enough.

Does the committee want a little break to discuss things? We'll have a five-minute suspension.

We're all set to go again. There appears to be a motion on the floor.

Ms. Chow first, and then Mr. Bevilacqua.

10:10 a.m.

NDP

Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON

I believe there are two very friendly amendments. Mine is that if time permits, further rounds shall repeat the pattern of the first round--at the discretion of the chair, of course.

10:10 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Tilson

Sorry, I....

10:10 a.m.

NDP

Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON

I'm changing one word.

10:10 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Tilson

Ms. Chow, I'm sorry, I wasn't listening; I was chatting here with Mr. Bevilacqua. He was helping me try to pronounce his name.

10:10 a.m.

NDP

Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON

I'm changing “first two” to “first round”, of course at the discretion of the chair. I just want to put myself back in, if there is time.

10:10 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Tilson

In other words, the second round you're putting at the discretion of the chair? Is that what you're saying?

10:10 a.m.

NDP

Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON

No, no.

10:10 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Tilson

Because I don't want that discretion.

10:10 a.m.

NDP

Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON

Right now it says that if time permits, further rounds shall repeat the pattern of the first two. I just want to make sure that the NDP is on the first round, and I want to make sure it's explicit that if time permits, I come back on.

10:10 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Tilson

Indeed.

Mr. Bevilacqua.

10:10 a.m.

Liberal

Maurizio Bevilacqua Liberal Vaughan, ON

You will find unanimous consent if this particular motion is dealt with in this fashion: that the order of questions for the first round of questioning shall be Liberal, Bloc, NDP, Conservative, and questioning during the second round shall alternate between the opposition members and the government members in the following fashion: Liberal, Bloc, Conservative.

You just have to switch the positions there of Bloc and Conservative.

And then, as Ms. Chow has already said, it would state that if time permits, further rounds shall repeat the pattern of the first round, at the discretion of the chair.

Is that clear?

10:10 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Tilson

Mr. Clerk, could you read it so that the committee is aware of what it says?

Mr. Dykstra.

10:10 a.m.

Conservative

Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON

The only clarification I'm asking for with regard to the end of the sentence, where we mention “first” round instead of “first two” rounds if time permits, is that we're not just going to go first round and then first round again. I think the motion needs to be clear that we go back to the original pattern; it's not that we're going to go first round, and then first round again, and so on.

10:10 a.m.

An hon. member

We'll never get that far, Rick.

10:10 a.m.

Conservative

Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON

I understand that, but if we ever did, you guys would be saying, “Hey, whoa, I've got you”--or Olivia would, anyway.

10:10 a.m.

NDP

Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON

Well, if you want, I can agree to the original--if that's the understanding.

10:10 a.m.

An hon. member

Right, as long as the understanding isn't objected to when we get there, or if we ever get there.

10:10 a.m.

An hon. member

Sure, fine.

10:10 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Tilson

Okay, one at a time.

Mr. Clerk, there has been an amendment proposed. Could you confirm what the amendment is so that we know?