International Trade Committee on Nov. 7th, 2006

Evidence of meeting #36 for International Trade in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Bill C-24, An Act to impose a charge on the export of certain softwood lumber products to the United States and a charge on refunds of certain duty deposits paid to the United States, to authorize certain payments, to amend the Export and Import Permits Act and to amend other Acts as a consequence

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Dennis Seebach Director, Administration and Technology Services, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

Marc Toupin Procedural Clerk

Clerk

Mary McMahon Senior Counsel, Legal Services Branch, Canada Revenue Agency

Michael Solursh Counsel, Trade Law Bureau, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

Cindy Negus Manager, Legislative Policy Directorate, Canada Revenue Agency

Paul Robertson Director General, North America Trade Policy, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

6:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit

You can't, Mr. Julian. We've started the recorded vote.

6:50 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC

Mr. Chair, this is absolutely an abomination. I cannot believe this.

6:50 p.m.

Conservative

Ted Menzies Conservative Macleod, AB

Mr. Chair, are we still voting?

6:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit

Mr. Julian has abstained again.

(Amendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])

We will go to the recorded division on clause 67.

November 7th, 2006 / 6:50 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC

I absolutely refuse to endorse this absurd and bizarre process. This is an absolute affront.

6:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit

We have another abstention by Mr. Julian.

(Clause 67 agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

Now we go to amendment NDP-45 on clause 68, a recorded division.

(Amendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])

6:55 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC

This is absolutely disgusting, Mr. Chair. What are you going to do, finish up at eight o'clock? I thought the idea was that you would go till midnight. Instead of that we see this monstrosity.

6:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit

We have another abstention by Mr. Julian.

Shall clause 68 carry? We'll go to a recorded division.

Mr. Julian has abstained on clause 68.

(Clause 68 agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

6:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit

On clause 69, we have amendment NDP-46. We'll go to the recorded division.

Mr. Julian has abstained.

(Amendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])

6:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit

We will go now to the vote on clause 69. It will be a recorded division.

(Clause 69 agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

6:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit

Now we're on clause 70 and amendment NDP-47. We'll go to the recorded division.

(Amendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])

We go now to the vote on clause 70 and a recorded division.

7 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC

I'm not voting on this, but as soon as this vote is finished, I'm going to raise a point of order.

7 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit

Mr. Julian has abstained.

(Clause 70 agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

7 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit

We've done clause 71.

7 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC

A point of order, Mr. Chairman.

7 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit

Mr. Julian, make sure it is a point of order and make sure it is on a new—

7 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC

On a point of order, this is absolutely farcical. You could spend two hours just on what has been violated in parliamentary procedure today. It's absolutely disgusting.

In terms of parliamentary procedure, and Marleau and Montpetit is very clear, an amendment that is moved gives the opportunity for a member to state the reasons why he or she believes a clause should be amended. There is no provision in the rules of order—absolutely no provision—unless there is unanimous consent to proceed in this manner. There are absolutely no precedents, and there is nothing in Marleau and Montpetit that allows debate to be completely ended in the way you are doing, Mr. Chair.

That is my point of order, and I would expect a ruling from the clerk that this charade will end.

7 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit

The ruling comes from the chair. I've gotten advice from the clerks already. They have advised me that you're right, Mr. Julian, except when the committee decides we're going to proceed in another manner. The committee controls its own destiny; we have decided this, and we will continue.

We go to NDP amendment 48 on clause 72. Let's go to the recorded division.

7 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC

I am not in any way going to endorse this bizarre, inappropriate process for legislation that has such a huge impact on British Columbia, and I think British Columbia voters would be ashamed at this kind of action--

7 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit

Let the record show that Mr. Julian has abstained.

(Amendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])

Shall clause 72 carry? We'll go to the recorded division.

Let the record show Mr. Julian has abstained.

(Clause 72 agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

We go to NDP amendment 49 on clause 73, a recorded division.

Another abstention for Mr. Julian.

(Amendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])

Shall clause 73 carry? We'll go to a recorded division.