Evidence of meeting #150 for Industry, Science and Technology in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was consumers.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Ryan Turnbull Liberal Whitby, ON
Thank you for the clarification.
I also heard Mr. Masse's comments. What I'm taking from his comments is that he wouldn't give unanimous consent based on what I had proposed unless it included something to do with the minister.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Joël Lightbound
It's that the minister take interim measures to make sure that this practice doesn't go forward in the meantime.
Is that it, Mr. Masse?
NDP
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
Yes. It's that the minister use their available powers to deal with this issue in the interim of the CRTC report.
I don't think the intent is there, but I don't want the CRTC to be used as a screen or a barrier to the minister acting right now, which I believe he can do under some of the regulatory powers that the minister has.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
I have a point of order.
To keep things clean on debate, can you just rule and clarify, Chair, that there has not been UC to proceed with debate on Mr. Turnbull's amendment?
Now Mr. Masse is proposing an amendment. Is that correct?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Joël Lightbound
I don't believe Mr. Masse has proposed an amendment. Right now, there is no amendment on the table. We're still on the main motion.
What I'm trying to do, MP Rempel Garner, is see if there is some consensus around the room to proceed with the motion. I can read the room, generally, pretty well.
I'll let Mr. Masse explain what he's suggesting.
NDP
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
I would just add, “that the minister take all possible immediate measures to stop these practices”.
NDP
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
That would allow Mr. Turnbull's CRTC one to not interfere with anything that we can do in the interim.
I'm just worried that we have a lag time with the CRTC that could take months upon months. The CRTC is a creature of Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Joël Lightbound
Thank you, Mr. Masse.
Give me one second. I'll take a minute to confer.
I understand that there is no agreement on the proposed suggestion to get UC.
The interpreters need half an hour if we are to pursue this. No?
Give me one second.
I'll suspend for a few minutes.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Joël Lightbound
Thank you very much.
I also want to thank the interpreters, who had to react very quickly to help us during the test.
Colleagues, I believe that we have a consensus—we'll see—on an amendment by Mr. Turnbull. It would be worthwhile to read it into the record.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Chair, my understanding is that we have dispensed with Mr. Turnbull's amendment. It is dead.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Now we are dealing with Mr. Masse's new amendment, which—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Joël Lightbound
MP Rempel Garner, what Mr. Masse is proposing builds on what Mr. Turnbull had proposed.
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Joël Lightbound
Sure, but it's on top of what Mr. Turnbull had proposed. That's why I was proposing for Mr. Turnbull to read into the record what he was proposing with regard to the CRTC and then let Mr. Masse add the piece that he wants to add.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
I think Mr. Masse had the floor before you suspended, so I'll leave it to Mr. Masse.
I think you're giving the floor to Mr. Turnbull after Mr. Masse had proposed an amendment, which would be out of order.
NDP
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
Thank you, and sorry.
The only way I would allow unanimous consent for Mr. Turnbull's amendment with the CRTC is if there were a specific clause that included urging the minister to act immediately to end that practice. What I'm trying to avoid here is the CRTC being a stumbling block to the minister being able to act now.
If there's still confusion on this, then I'll just deny UC altogether.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Joël Lightbound
Mr. Masse, there is absolutely no confusion around this table. I'm just trying to alleviate the confusion by asking Mr. Turnbull to read what he has to say, and then you can add the sentence you want to add, and then we'll see if we get UC on this.
Mr. Turnbull, could you read into the record how the amendment you're proposing would read?
Liberal
Ryan Turnbull Liberal Whitby, ON
It has the exact same wording as what Ms. Rempel Garner had originally moved in terms of the motion. It adds a comma at the end instead of a period and would add the substantive element that I added, which was about the CRTC, and it would also include Mr. Masse's language, “that the minister take all possible immediate measures to stop these practices”.
I would defer to Mr. Masse on what language he prefers. I was okay with what he had suggested originally, which was, I think, for the minister to use his powers “in the interim to curb these practices”.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Joël Lightbound
Just to be clear, it would be, “That the committee report to the House its disappointment in Rogers Communications Inc. for not proactively disclosing the true costs of their products and services to consumers, and notes the detrimental impact of the lack of competition in the telecommunications sector is having on Canadian consumers, and call on the CRTC to do a full review of the matter of price certainty and the issue of surprise fees increasing during fixed-term contracts and urge that it take regulatory action, and that the minister use his available powers in the interim to correct this unfair practice.”
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Joël Lightbound
Is “these unfair practices” correct, Mr. Masse? I see a thumbs-up.
I'm hoping, Madam Rempel Garner, you're seeing the thumbs-up from Mr. Masse as well.
