Citizenship and Immigration Committee on June 13th, 2013

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

I hear what you're saying. It's that the committee has already decided to ask for the thing, so that recommendation has already gone to the House. Now we're awaiting the decision of the House. Well, I guess—

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Well, that debate is going to be.... Is it two hours? You've said two, but I think it's three hours. Is it three?

The clerk has reminded me that it's three hours for the concurrence.

That's in the House now. That's what we're waiting for. That's what I'm pointing out to you. The submissions you're making should be made at that time, I believe, not here. We're past that. We're into another area.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

So we're waiting for the concurrence debate in the House on Bill C-425?

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Indeed.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Well, I appreciate what you're saying now, sir, and on that point, I guess what I'm wondering now is that if this motion has been on the go for so long, surely that debate could have taken place. Because any member at any time—

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Mr. Harris, you know that a committee has no control over what the House does or doesn't do. We can't explain.... Neither the opposition nor the government members can explain why it's taking so long for this to take place. I don't even want to get into that debate, because the opposition could say it's the government's fault, and the government could say it's the opposition's fault. I don't want to go there.

I'm just responding to your comments and saying that you're getting into an area that we're past, because it should be in the House. I will repeat that I'm more interested in the very restrictive issue as to whether or not this extension of 30 days...as to whether the committee should be asking for that.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Well, I don't think the committee should be asking for that, sir. I think what should have been happening, done by members of the committee who were anxious to have this matter brought forward.... The rules of the House allow any member to get up at any time and seek a concurrence debate. The business of the House shuts down for that debate to take place. Because that's what we do when we seek a concurrence debate—

[Rick Dykstra, Conservative, St. Catharines, ON]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Mr. Harris, we have a point of order.

Mr. Dykstra.

[Rick Dykstra, Conservative, St. Catharines, ON]

Yes. I made the point yesterday that the NDP prevented me from introducing a concurrence motion. If he's suggesting that it is a way to get out of the dilemma we are in now, I would be happy to go to the House and do that. Is he telling me that we'll be allowed to move concurrence? Is he saying that the NDP will let us?

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

I think you're both out of order.

Mr. Harris, proceed with your debate.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Thank you, sir.

I don't think we should be facilitating this process. By requesting an extension of 30 days, we would be facilitating a process that has the effect of shutting down the second reading debate on an important matter of principle that ought to be argued by the government—

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Mr. Harris, you're getting into repetition.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

That's the purpose of this request, and it's the reason why, on a fundamental level, I'm opposed to this. I may have other arguments later on.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

We're going to move on to Ms. Sims.

Thank you, Mr. Harris.

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

Thank you, Chair.

On a point of order, we have now been sitting for three hours, and I'm asking if maybe it is time for us to take a comfort break of five minutes.

[Roxanne James, Conservative, Scarborough Centre, ON]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

No. We're on a point of order. Unless it's the same point...?

[Roxanne James, Conservative, Scarborough Centre, ON]

It is the same point. We've done this again and again. Every member of this committee knows that if they need to get up and use the facilities, they're more than welcome to do so. We don't need to do mass bathroom breaks. We'd like to continue with debate while she's—

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

The chairman is interested in having a suspension for five minutes.

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

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

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

We're going to reconvene the meeting.

Ms. Sims has advised me that she has a point of order.

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

Thank you, Chair.

I'm going to respectfully request that you suspend the meeting from 2:15 p.m. until after the votes—I believe the votes are taking place straight after QP—so that we can carry out our parliamentary duties in the House.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

That's not a point of order.

You are up for debate on the main motion, Ms. Sims.