Citizenship and Immigration Committee on June 13th, 2013

[Jinny Sims, NDP, Newton—North Delta, BC]

I would like to challenge the chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

There's a challenge to the chair.

Shall the ruling of the chair be sustained?

[Mylène Freeman, NDP, Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC]

I'm asking for a recorded vote.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

There's been a request for a recorded vote, Madam Clerk.

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

I'm sorry, Chair, on a point of—

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

No, we're in the vote here, Mr. Christopherson.

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

I want to know what the vote is.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

You don't know what a challenge—

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

I am asking you specifically what vote you're putting to the committee. I have that right, sir.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

The question is, shall the ruling of the chair be sustained?

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Which ruling is that?

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Mr. Christopherson—

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Sir.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

—please be silent so we may continue with the vote.

[Jinny Sims, NDP, Newton—North Delta, BC]

Chair, I made an error because the chair had not made a ruling, and I challenged the chair, so I withdraw that.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

We're having a vote on the ruling I made, and that's that. We're going to proceed with the vote, Madam Clerk.

(Ruling of the chair sustained: yeas 6; nays 5)

You have the floor, Mr. Christopherson.

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Where are we, Chair? I heard we're going to move on. I'm not sure whether I have the floor or not.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

I'm anxiously waiting to hear what you have to say.

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

I didn't know if what I was going to say was precluded before I even said it, based on the ruling.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

If you have nothing to say, we'll move on.

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

No, that's fine. I have something to say. Thank you very much. I appreciate that.

I want to talk about the 30 days, private members' business, and all the things that are relevant to this. I want to talk about how unacceptable it is that the executive is affecting private members' business, and that's exactly what this is.

I'm told that we've had the minister sitting here, not in an advisory capacity, but rather as a player on the government side. That's not appropriate, in terms of what private members' business is about.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

This has been discussed.

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

It hasn't been discussed by me, Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

You have a point of order, Ms. Freeman?

[Mylène Freeman, NDP, Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC]

Chair, on a point of order, I don't believe it's true that we've discussed the fact that the minister was sitting here—or certainly I cannot recall it. If members can find that in Hansard, then I'd be happy to believe it. Until I see it, I won't.