Citizenship and Immigration Committee on June 13th, 2013

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

You have a point of order, Ms. James?

[Roxanne James, Conservative, Scarborough Centre, ON]

I feel as if I'm in the movie Groundhog Day, because I have heard this again and again. Even before this week, Mr. Chair, when you returned, we heard this last week again and again. I'd like you to make sure that anything that is brought forward is new to this discussion.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

I haven't heard it, and I'd like to hear more.

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

Thank you very much.

When I take a look at what has not happened in the House—and I've only missed the House sessions while I've been sitting here—I'm sure we would have been called back if the concurrent motion had come up in the House. We would all have rushed in there to take part in that debate for three hours, but that has not happened.

Now we have a government, through a private member's bill, looking at getting an extension so that they have a longer time to try to find a spot on the parliamentary agenda to argue the expansion of the scope of the bill before us.

Once again, let me reassure everybody that the NDP has no interest in getting in the way of serious public safety, but we are very concerned about the processes we have and how a private member's bill can be subsumed or inserted into so that the scope can be expanded.

I pulled up some quotes. This is from Hansard of June 12, 2001, at 10:45, while debating a supply day motion to make votable all items of private members' business. At that time—I'm going to quote the serious comments that were made. I know you're dying to hit that, about a member's right to speak on issues, and it is because we have that right to debate issues—

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Ms. Sims—

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

—that we are here—

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Ms. Sims—

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

—and to debate—

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Ms. Sims, I'd like to interject.

I've heard this before. I've heard this issue discussed today.

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

I'm glad.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Therefore, it's repetition. I'm going to read a section that came out of the book, with respect to my interjecting, with respect to my being concerned, with respect to....

Oh, I'm sorry, Ms. Sitsabaiesan. It's at the top of page 1049.

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

Would you give me a moment, please, Chair?

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Sure.

[An hon. member]

No.

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

You're not in the chair, unfortunately or fortunately.

[An hon. member]

[Inaudible—Editor]

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

I'd take the chair any time.

What page? Was it 1049?

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Yes. I believe—I not only believe, I'm certain—that what you're talking about now has been mentioned several times throughout this day.

I'm going to read the section because that's exactly what I'm doing—I'm interjecting. I'm going to give you a chance to move on or we'll move to another speaker, because you are getting into an area of repetition:

In addition, the Chair may, at his or her discretion, interrupt a member whose observations and questions are repetitive or are unrelated to the matter before the committee. If the member in question persists in making repetitive or off-topic comments, the Chair can give the floor to another member.

With respect, I believe you are getting into areas discussed many times before by you and by your colleagues, so I would like you to move on to another issue.

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

Okay, getting back to the scope issue—

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

We've dealt with the scope issue too. We even had a ruling that we're not going to talk about the scope issue.

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

I'm getting to the extension of 30 sitting days.

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

I have a point of order.

Could we get an update on where we are with the speakers list? If we're going to be cutting speakers off, it would be helpful to the members of the committee to know what the list—

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

It's not a point of order.

Go ahead, Ms. Sims.

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

Thank you very much.

Chair, as I do have the floor and I realize my colleague did not, is it possible to share the speakers list with everybody, so if people want to get on it, they can?

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

No. You're peeking over my shoulder.

Are you—