Citizenship and Immigration Committee on June 13th, 2013

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Well, just so I'm clear, that's exactly what I'm saying. Otherwise, everybody could say the same thing in this room and take 10 hours to do that. That's not productive. I think we're interested in hearing.... Now, if someone says something that's not correct on that issue, that's a different story, but if we're talking precisely of what was said by Madame Groguhé, that's repetition, and I'm not going to allow it.

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

Well, I'm hoping you will allow relevancy, because that is part of the process as well—

[Rathika Sitsabaiesan, NDP, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

A point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Yes, Ms. Sitsabaiesan.

[Rathika Sitsabaiesan, NDP, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

Thank you.

I apologize to my colleague for interrupting her in mid-sentence.

Mr. Chair, you just mentioned that if one member of a political party has made a point, another person mentioning that point or a similar point is repetition, which I find quite.... I have to make two points based on that.

One is that when the Conservative Party members spoke, just before Madam Sims spoke, there was quite a lot of repetition with respect to the points they made, and that leeway was granted to every single one of them to repeat the same points that Mr. Dykstra made.

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Richmond Hill, ON]

It's not true.

[Rathika Sitsabaiesan, NDP, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

Now—

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Mr. Menegakis, order, please.

Go ahead, Ms. Sitsabaiesan.

[Rathika Sitsabaiesan, NDP, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

—Ms. Sims, who is the first speaker today, according to the new speakers list that you have there, Mr. Chair, is making her arguments and is already being told that she's being repetitive, when she is the first speaker to speak today.

Still on the first point, there have been accusations that she may or may not be saying things that she may or may not have said while she was in camera, which is not something we can discuss when we're in a televised public meeting. As well, Ms. Sims is being told that she is being repetitive on items that another member made in a previous part of this debate.

The second part—

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Okay. Look, Ms. Sitsabaiesan, I've made my point clear. I'm trying to give Ms. Sims as much leeway as I can, and comments are being made that she is repeating herself.

Notwithstanding those comments, I'm still giving Ms. Sims some leeway, and I'd like her to continue.

You have the floor, Ms. Sims.

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

A point of order, Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

On a point of order, Ms. Sims.

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

With all respect to the chair, we can say that every one of my colleagues across the way—we can get the blues for that today as well—were making similar points about the rights of a private member.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Well, we're before you now, Ms. Sims, and I'm trying to be consistent.

I'm sure—

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

That's what I'm asking for: consistency.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

—that throughout this meeting I will make all kinds of mistakes. I'm trying to avoid doing that.

I trust that members will point out to me, as they already have, if I've made mistakes, and I'll try to rectify those mistakes.

You now have the floor. We're debating the motion.

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

When we looked at the legislation that Mr. Shory put before us and that we did support at second reading, there were aspects of that bill that we did support, aspects that we might have wanted to expand whereby those permanent residents who serve in the military would get credit for residence in order to accelerate citizenship.

You know, there is a lot of merit to be had in that, because we know that we want our military and other institutions to be reflective of our diversity—

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

On a point of order, Mr. Dykstra.

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

This is what Ms. Groguhé said during her very long speech: we are in favour of speeding up the process of obtaining Canadian citizenship to reward the dedication of permanent residents in the Canadian Armed Forces; we are also favourable that the Canadian Armed Forces reflect, in some way, the importance of the diversity of Canada, which will help in part with the bill; and unfortunately, some aspects of the bill relating to the claims of repudiation and withdrawal of applications for Canadian citizenship are a problem.

It's the exact same argument that Ms. Sims is now presenting.

It's already been made.

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

You did not let me finish my argument, because I was not going to go on to that.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Well, it's happened, Ms. Sims. He's reading from the blues.

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

He has read part—

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

It would be awful if he started repeating what was said last week.

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

It would be, but that would be his choice.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Indeed.

This is your final warning, and then we're going to move on. You can continue debate, Ms. Sims.