International Trade Committee on Feb. 26th, 2009

[The Clerk]

I'm sorry.

If you wish to do that now, you must ask the following question: “Is the chair's ruling sustained?”

If you want to proceed, you ask, “Is the chair's ruling sustained?” It is based on what is in Marleau and Montpetit.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

There is the challenge: is the chair's ruling sustained by the committee?

(Ruling of the chair sustained)

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

We're going to carry on with business.

Monsieur Cardin.

[Serge Cardin, Bloc, Sherbrooke, QC]

I would like to raise a point. When you asked the clerk to slow down as you were speaking, you proved how difficult this can be. Personally, I understood the clerk very well when she was speaking French. However, when she began to speak English, there was a long delay before the simultaneous interpretation was heard. The interpreter, unfortunately, ended up with a partial sentence that did not mean anything at all. I must therefore repeat what I said at the beginning of the meeting: people must learn to breathe deeply through their noses and speak more slowly, in order to allow the interpreters to do their job. This element has to be taken into consideration. Following that, when the time comes to make decisions and vote, everyone would be aware of the issues, on the same wavelength, and able to make enlightened decisions. This is what I hope for because if you want to have my cooperation throughout the session, until the summer, you will have to take that into account. It is a priority for me.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

I thank you for that, Monsieur Cardin. Your point is well taken, and I found myself speaking to the clerk in that regard. I think the committee now understands, and we'll try to do that.

Mr. Silva, on a point of order.

[Mario Silva, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Chair, first of all I want to say that it's not my practice to challenge the chair and I appreciate the fact that you've been a good chair. I apologize, but there's been a bit of confusion over here in the sense that I'm following the lead of my vice-chair of the committee. We're supposed to not be voting, to abstain, and I think we need to have that vote again. Nothing against you, Mr. Chair, of course.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

The matter again is not dissimilar to the previous one, a matter to be dealt with has been dealt with, voted and dealt with, so there we go.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

On a point of order, Mr. Chair--

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Thanks anyway, Mr. Silva.

Mr. Julian, we have a list of points of order, and the next one goes to Mr. Harris.

[Dick Harris, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Mr. Chair, with all due respect to my colleagues across the way, we have had a parliamentary secretary waiting patiently while the political back and forth has gone on here. I'm sure the parliamentary secretary has much better things to do than sit here and listen to the back-and-forth games of the opposition party.

At least, Mr. Chair, if they plan to continue, would you as the chair give our parliamentary secretary the option of leaving to do better things, if those are what he has to do? There's no reason he should have to sit here while these guys play their games.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Well, I think we appreciate all of the witnesses who come before the committee, particularly the witnesses who were called by the members who are now raising points of order.

[Dick Harris, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

It's embarrassing.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Mr. Julian.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Chair, as you know, we can ask for a recorded vote on votes. For the purposes of the vote that has just been taken, I request a recorded vote. Very clearly, Mr. Chair, there are members here who were voting in an opposite way to what they intended.

[Ron Cannan, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Too late.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

We've heard that expressed. The recorded vote clarifies that issue, Mr. Chair, so I request a recorded vote.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Well, Mr. Julian, I think a recorded vote has to be requested before a vote is taken. In this case, the vote has been taken, the decision has been made, and we're moving on.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Chair, on a point of order, I then challenge your decision.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

We have Mr. Cannan next, Mr. Julian.

[Ron Cannan, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

To challenge the whole structure—

[An hon. member]

My point has been made, Chair, that the recorded vote has to be requested before the vote is taken, and Mr. Julian knows that better than anybody around the room.

[John Cannis, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Challenge the rules.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Mr. Julian, did you have a point of order?

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

No, I have challenged your decision. That's not debatable, as you know. So we proceed to a vote on your decision.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

What is you are challenging now?