Evidence of meeting #106 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was subamendment.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Bloc
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
Could we suspend the sitting for a few minutes, while I send the text of the amendment? It will be easier that way. Thank you.
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal
I call the meeting back to order.
We have a motion as amended by Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe.
Mr. Chiang, are you okay with his friendly amendment?
Liberal
Paul Chiang Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Yes, I am good with that. The only thing I was asking about was the closed work permit wording, to make sure that it's acceptable. Then we can go from there.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal
Thank you.
Basically, you're telling me that where it says at the end “closed permits”, it should read as “closed work permits”.
Okay, so we have....
I'm sorry. Go ahead, Mr. Redekopp.
Conservative
Brad Redekopp Conservative Saskatoon West, SK
Thank you.
I don't disagree with this, but if I look at the report that was sent to us by the analysts on this subject, the subject line is “closed work permits and temporary foreign workers”. I think that's the wording we're looking for. That would sync with the actual report we're looking at.
Bloc
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
Yes, it was done fairly quickly. I agree with using the exact terms from the draft we received.
Conservative
Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB
I would ask for a recorded division on that, Chair. It's a subamendment, so we have to do it by the process of a recorded division to add the correct wording.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal
Okay.
Mr. Redekopp, you have the floor on the subamendment. Could you read your subamendment, please?
Conservative
Brad Redekopp Conservative Saskatoon West, SK
I have one other question before I do that. I think we discussed this. It says “his” report. We're going with “its” report. Is that right?
Conservative
Brad Redekopp Conservative Saskatoon West, SK
Okay.
My subamendment is to replace the words “closed permits” with “closed work permits and temporary foreign workers”.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal
Okay.
The motion as subamended by Mr. Redekopp is on the floor.
Mr. Kmiec, you were the next one on the list.
Conservative
Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB
I'm sorry, Chair. I believe I was speaking on the main motion. I was just asking for a recorded division when the time comes.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal
Thank you.
Is there any discussion on the subamendment?
Ms. Kwan, please go ahead.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I apologize. I came a little late to the committee. I was upstairs in the main chamber debating Bill C-71, precisely related to this very motion. I guess there's the element of the subamendment we're talking about.
Very interestingly, Mr. Chair, at the end of my speech, I actually moved this motion: “That notwithstanding any standing order, special order or usual practice of the House, Bill C-71, an act to amend the Citizenship Act, be deemed read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration.”
That is a unanimous consent motion. It would require all members of the House to be in support of it. Interestingly, it was the Conservatives who said no to my motion. Here we are, at this moment—
Conservative
Greg McLean Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.
You'll rule on whether that's appropriate or not.
With unanimous consent, it does not reveal who is not providing unanimous consent in the House of Commons. It is just anonymous. I'm not sure who wasn't giving unanimous consent. I'm not sure Ms. Kwan was sure about who was not giving unanimous consent.
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I'm absolutely sure who it was, because I was sitting right in the chamber watching all of this. There was one member who actually said no and who subsequently got up to ask a question. All of that, by the way, including my speech, is on the public record.
To the point here with respect to this particular motion, I have to say that it should be no surprise to folks around this table, because it was the Conservatives who filibustered Bill S-245 for 30 hours—
Conservative
Greg McLean Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
I have a point of order again, Mr. Chair.
Unanimous consent requires Parliament's approval. That means the unanimous consent of Parliament. It's Parliament that didn't give unanimous consent. It doesn't matter who in Parliament didn't give consent. It's Parliament.
If the Speaker recognized one person saying that they didn't give unanimous consent, that is the equivalent of several people saying it. Several people may have said it. I apologize if Ms. Kwan is picking on the one member she saw say it, but that person speaks for all of Parliament, to uphold the rules of Parliament.
Liberal