Citizenship and Immigration Committee on June 13th, 2013

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

At the end of the day, Mr. Chairperson, I do believe that it's consistent with the motion we have before us. I would like to be able to continue without interruptions, but if they want to interrupt, Mr. Chair, I'm not going to stop them from interrupting if they have valid points of order.

I think it's important for us to recognize that when we talk about this 30-day suggestion that is being brought forward by the government, we need to understand why it's not in this committee's best interest to pass this motion. If in fact we pass this motion, we will in essence be changing the intent of Mr. Shory's original bill, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Mr. Lamoureux, we don't know that.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Yes, we do know that, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

I don't know that. There have been no other amendments made. The only thing that is before us is this motion that requests that the House extend the time for debating this in the committee by 30 days.

You're talking about things that may or may not happen. I don't want to go there.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Chairperson, for me to justify to my constituents how I will vote on this particular motion, I do believe that we need to recognize that we will have amendments that are going to change the scope of the legislation

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

There are no amendments on the floor, Mr. Lamoureux.

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

On a point of order, Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

No, just a second: there are no amendments before this committee at this point.

You keep referring to amendments.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Right.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

You can't do that because there's nothing before the committee. All that is before the committee right now is a motion.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

That's right.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

I'm trying to provide you with leeway. I hate to cut people off, just like I did Ms. Freeman and Ms. Sitsabaiesan, but if you carry on talking about amendments that may or may not happen, I'm going to move on.

Now, on a point of order, Ms. Sims.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

I'd like to speak on the same point of order then, after she is done.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Well, you don't know what it is yet.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

I'm anticipating, Mr. Chairperson, that there's a very good likelihood that I could end up supporting this point of order!

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

All right.

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

Chair, we are here to debate a request for an extension. We're not here to debate a request for an extension in a vacuum. It's an extension to have further time to take a look at Mr. Shory's bill.

So if it is an extension of 30 days on order to take a look at Mr. Shory's bill—because it's not just for us to have a meeting, surely—then I believe that it behooves us to relate Mr. Shory's bill to the need for an extension. And I'm not talking about amendments; I'm actually talking about the actual bill. I am getting very disturbed by the limitations that are being put on debate at this committee, but I would really urge you to take a look at that because the extension, absolutely, is for 30 days, but the extension is for something. Without arguing what that “for something” is for—to further study the bill—

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

And your point of order is?

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

My point of order is that I'm asking the chair to show some leeway, so we can actually debate the motion without having to—

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Mr. Lamoureux, do you want to speak on this point of order?

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

I support what Ms. Sims is saying, but my point of order is on a different issue, so I'll let you make a ruling on this one, then I'll—

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

That's not a point of order. What's your point of order?

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

My point of order, Mr. Chairperson, is that you had indicated in your comments that it's not about amendments. What I would like to do is to indicate that, quite frankly, amendments need to be factored into the discussion because we have sent to the House of Commons an official request to change the scope. By agreeing that we're changing the scope, we are actually making amendments. With the 30-day extension issue, it impacts that process. It is not fair nor responsible for me as a legislator to be able to—

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Mr. Lamoureux, I have made a ruling, and I have told you what the reasons were, which were given in the preamble of this bill. Those are the very reasons. Those are the very reasons that M. Giguère and I had a discussion about it. I don't imagine he agrees with me, but those were the reasons.

In other words, I'd like you to speak to the motion and not get into those other things.

Go ahead, Mr. Menegakis.