Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on Nov. 29th, 2010

[The Chair, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

Just to be clear, what's complicating this some is that on October 3 the Nutrition North Canada program did commence being implemented. So we're partway into a program. We need to understand what the implications of that are to make a decision on this motion. So it bears some further investigation.

Ms. Glover.

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chairman.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

No, we have three minutes.

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

It is a simple point of order. There is nothing preventing us from amending the motion.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

Every time he wants to say something he uses a point of order--every time.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

Of course, it can be amended. If there is consensus, we would not.... The proposal is not to make a decision on this motion today, but it will remain tabled before the committee, with a commitment to bring it before the committee again on December 13 or December 15.

Ms. Glover.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

I'd like your ruling on the point of order, sir. Is it a point of order?

[The Chair, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

The point of order...it has to do with the scheduling of our work, so it's borderline.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

I just have to say, for the record, that every time Monsieur Lemay wants to speak he says it's a point of order, and it's starting to get a little irritating, particularly when we have two minutes left and we're on the list.

I would just hope that in the future, Mr. Chair, we use the points of order more appropriately, because not everyone here wants to interrupt.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

The difficulty is that when someone raises a point of order, in order to make a determination if it is a point of order, you have to listen to what the speaker says. So we have to wait for them to finish, much like in the House. It's the same thing.

And as you have probably observed, most points of order are in fact not. Again, this one was somewhat borderline in terms of any problems with the Standing Orders.

But you have the floor and I think you've made the point, so carry on.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

Okay. I have a minute left, and I'm probably going to use more than a minute, so we're probably not going to get to the end of this.

I really am disappointed that we turned this into a partisan issue. This is about northern consumers. This is about people who are not able to eat, which we heard very clearly from some of the witnesses. We heard very clearly that they absolutely need to find a way to afford nutritious food in the north.

I asked a very simple question. How is this motion going to help us to address that concern of the northern consumers? I still don't have an answer to that.

I believe we are dismissing an awful lot of testimony by witnesses who were in agreement with this program moving forward. I'm disappointed, because this committee works so well together, that we would be reduced to comments like “prorogation may happen, so we may not get to address this again”. It's ridiculous. I'm pretty confident that my colleagues on the other side.... Mr. Russell may see the door open, but you don't always have to kick it in.

It's important that we address the concerns of northern consumers, people who are not able to feed their children, people who are going to give Coca-Cola to their children over milk, because they can't get it quickly enough.

This is a serious matter. We're going to continue to discuss it. But I would really hate to see this committee digress into a partisan committee, because we're not going to get very far if that continues.

What I would like is to—

[Marlene Jennings, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

Mr. Chair, on a point of order, what time is it?

[The Chair, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

Well, it's 5:30, but we don't adjourn the committee except with the consent of the committee, so Ms. Glover has the floor and we'll continue.

[Larry Bagnell, Liberal, Yukon, YT]

Mr. Chair, you need the consent of the committee to go past 5:30.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

No, that's actually not right. The notice is published as a guideline, but the chair cannot adjourn the committee unilaterally. One can adjourn the meeting only when we have the consent of the committee to adjourn.

[Marlene Jennings, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

I have a point of order, Chair.

Unless this committee has adopted that as a specific rule, that the chair can adjourn only with the consent of the committee.... On every other committee I've sat on for 13 years—I'm now in my 14th year—the rule has been interpreted the other way, which is that to go past 5:30 requires the consent of the committee.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

That's not my understanding of it. In fact, the chair can adjourn the meeting only with the presumed consent of the committee, regardless of the time.

That's my ruling on it.

[Marlene Jennings, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

I challenge the chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

If you wish, of course, at any time members can move to adjourn the meeting.

[Marlene Jennings, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

I've just challenged your ruling.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

You've challenged the ruling, but I can then ask for members to sustain the ruling of the chair.

[Marlene Jennings, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

Exactly.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

I'd ask for the motion. Can I see consent to sustain the ruling of the chair?

(Ruling of the chair sustained)

The chair's ruling is sustained, so that's the rule we'll use.

Ms. Glover has the floor.

Go ahead, Ms. Glover.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

I was just going to finish by saying I agree with what Mr. Bevington has suggested. It was similar to what Mr. Bagnell said earlier. We are going to listen to more witnesses, but I would hope that members of this committee use this committee to do what's right.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

Okay.

Thank you.

There has been no decision taken on the motion. It will remain in abeyance until a future meeting of the committee.