Evidence of meeting #144 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was asylum.
A video is available from Parliament.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Rob Oliphant
I know, and I'm the chair. You may be chair one day, but right now I am the chair.
I'm going to request that you do not speak over the witness when the witness is speaking. That is out of respect for the interpreters who cannot interpret, and we have a country which respects both official languages. If we are going to maintain decorum in this committee, and respect for both official languages, I will interrupt anyone who is speaking over someone when they're speaking.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Frankly, Chair, I think a lot of Canadians can't interpret what's being said here. On one hand they're saying that the safe third country agreement applies, that the United States is a safe country, that people have reached a safe country. On the other hand, they're asking us to spend $114 million on hotels and social welfare payments for illegal border crossers. That is a circle we can't square.
The reality is you keep spending this money. You keep coming to us, unbudgeted, more and more. Don't you think you're just asking Canadians to pay for your mistake, and your Prime Minister's failure to close the loophole in the safe third country agreement, your #WelcomeToCanada mistake? Why are you asking Canadians to vote in favour of supporting your mistake?
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON
Mr. Chair, the preposterous idea that refugees leave their homes because of a tweet is an insult to those who seek protection.
We have a system in Canada that determines who's a refugee and who isn't, and that's the system that we have, and—
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON
It's an independent system, and to suggest that the Conservatives actually care about refugees is laughable.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
This is my time. I would like the floor, Chair.
Thank you.
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Rob Oliphant
I would like to remind all committee members that the time that is here belongs to the committee; the members have time to ask questions and the witnesses have time to answer the questions. That is the way committees work.
If the member would like to continue, she may continue but I ask that she allow the witnesses to answer.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
I appreciate that the Liberals have been preventing strong women from speaking lately, but I will continue to speak.
Thank you, Chair.
Do you think it is fair that Canadians accept your coming over and over to this committee and asking for hundreds of millions of dollars to pay for hotels, with no definite end? There's no end in sight. There are more people coming. On the one hand, you say the safe third country agreement applies, but on the other hand, you say the United States is not a safe third country so we need to pay for all of this.
Why are you doing this? Make a decision one way or another. Don't just come to Canadians and say that somebody in upstate New York is going to get priority access over veterans...increasing in...carbon tax.... That's what you're asking us to do here. Why should Canadians look at you and say that anybody on this committee should support paying $114 million for the hotels for illegal border crossers?
4:15 p.m.
Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction
The families who are here, who have made an asylum claim, under Canadian law are entitled to due process. While that due process is taking place, we do provide, working with the municipalities and the provinces, temporary shelter so that they may have a roof over their heads. Most of the people coming are, in fact, families with children.
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
The reality is that the briefing you gave us yesterday—
4:15 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Rob Oliphant
I don't gavel very often. I will gavel today.
I ask the member again to respect the witness. You've asked a question. Give the witnesses a chance to answer and do not speak over them. When they have finished, it is your time.
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
You know what, Mr. Chair? I'm tired of being shut down by Liberals. I am.
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.
I still had time left and you are shutting me down. Why are you shutting down another woman from speaking and asking questions? That's exactly what's happening here.
I challenge your ruling to move on to the next person and I'd like a recorded vote.
4:15 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Rob Oliphant
I will tell you that I warned the committee a few months ago, and members were all in the room at the time, that if I felt decorum was going, I would take the time, that I would run the clock. The clock is over seven minutes.
I have now been challenged on my ruling, which would be to go—
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
4:15 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Rob Oliphant
I am now being challenged on my ruling which says that we have reached the end of Ms. Rempel's time and that we now go to Ms. Kwan.
There is a request for a recorded vote on whether or not you uphold my ruling.
(Ruling of the chair sustained: yeas 6; nays 3)
Thank you.
We continue now with Ms. Kwan for seven minutes.
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.
I'd just like to point out that you shut down a woman asking questions about money being spent by this government.
Thank you.
4:15 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Rob Oliphant
I would remind the committee that I shut down a member whose time had elapsed, regardless of gender.
