Evidence of meeting #67 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 immigrants.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
Oh boy. Talk it over, Randeep. Talk it over with your—
Conservative
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Borys Wrzesnewskyj
We'll have a recorded vote.
(Motion agreed to: yeas 5; nays 4)
The debate is adjourned.
I will now suspend for two minutes to allow the next panel to assemble.
Thank you.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
In the last panel, there was one individual, Mr. Lacey, who was still on the screen here. At the end of that discussion, a motion to adjourn the debate was moved. After the vote had taken place, I believe the procedure ought to have been that we continue with the speakers list. I didn't get to have my seven minutes, and you adjourned the panel before I had a chance to ask my questions. The panel was dismissed, so I've lost my seven minutes. As members know, seven minutes in this committee is very precious. It's seven minutes that I won't be able to recapture to ask questions of the panel.
I ask for clarification with respect to that procedure, Mr. Chair, and how we might rectify that.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Borys Wrzesnewskyj
Ms. Kwan, as you know, especially in the cases of video conferences, we schedule those facilities for specific times. Sometimes there is a bit of leeway, but most of the time there isn't a lot of leeway. We were originally scheduled from 3:30 to 4:30. By that point, we had gone over and we had the next panel, who had been scheduled for 4:30 and had been waiting for a significant period of time. This is just to clarify your questions on that.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Mr. Chair, notwithstanding that, the witness with the first panel was still on the video conferencing, so he didn't get cut out because the time had run out. In that process, my point, Mr. Chair, is that I've been shortchanged seven minutes with respect to this.
This happened in another meeting, and I was advised that I lost my seven minutes because the panel had been dismissed. In this instance the panel had not been dismissed, and I still lost my seven minutes anyway.
I want to raise this because, Mr. Chair, you will understand my point of view about not being able to get the time in to ask my questions, which is my allotted time on the rotation.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Borys Wrzesnewskyj
Ms. Kwan, as indicated on page 1031 of House of Commons Procedure and Practice, chairs have the leeway, when unexpected circumstances arise, to make those sorts of decisions.
That's exactly what happened. Currently we have time scheduled with the panel that is before us. The previous panel's time had run out, and I'd like to proceed.
Mr. Tilson.
Conservative
Conservative
David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
I agree with Ms. Kwan. The witness had not been dismissed, and because the witness had not been dismissed I believe Ms. Kwan has been robbed of her seven minutes of questions. That issue needs to be dealt with.
I assume the witness is now gone, but somehow she has lost her seven minutes. As far as I'm concerned, the issue was still alive. You dismissed the one witness, but you didn't dismiss the second witness.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Borys Wrzesnewskyj
In fact, my instructions were that the technician be informed and the witness be informed that once we ran out, he's free to listen to the debates but is dismissed.
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Borys Wrzesnewskyj
However, if you'd like to appeal my decision, Mr. Tilson, you're free to do so.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Mr. Chair, on the point of order, I just want to point out that MP Ludwig began at 4:23; Mr. Kevin Lacey would have begun at 4:17, and James McDonald would have begun at 4:10.
Liberal
