Evidence of meeting #20 for International Trade in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was clause.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Matthew Kronby  Director General, Trade Law Bureau, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Pierre P. Bouchard  Director, Bilateral and Regional Labour Affairs, Department of Human Resources and Skills Development

9:45 p.m.

Liberal

John Cannis Liberal Scarborough Centre, ON

Well, I'm just trying to find a solution to this.

9:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Larry Miller

First of all, it's nice of you to offer that olive branch. However, I'm not going to hear anything on the same rhetoric as we heard before, from either side. If you have something new.... I mean, we've already passed this, or I should say defeated it, so I really don't even like to—

9:45 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC

We didn't even have a vote on it, Mr. Chair.

9:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Larry Miller

Oh yes, we did have a vote on it: you just chose not to.

9:45 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC

Mr. Chair, you did not allow a vote on collective bargaining and that is something that will be out in the public domain, Mr. Chair.

9:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Larry Miller

Well, of course we did: you just chose not to vote.

9:45 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC

You did not allow a vote on collective bargaining and that will be out there.

9:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Larry Miller

Mr. Julian, you're going to have a chance here, by the good graces of myself. If you want to come forth with another argument, you have 30 seconds to do so. Now start.

9:45 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC

On the collective bargaining issue--

9:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Larry Miller

Yes. Now start, and it had better be different, or I'm going to cut you off again. It's as simple as that.

9:45 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC

On the collective bargaining issue...?

9:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Larry Miller

If it's repetitive, I will cut you off.

9:45 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC

And, Mr. Chair, just so you can explain your ruling, then, explain what you consider to be repetitive--what categories. Now, I've talked about a number of different areas. Explain to me which areas you consider repetitive.

9:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Larry Miller

I'll let you know when I hear it.

9:45 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC

Well, Mr. Chair, that's not very fair, is it?

9:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Larry Miller

Well, I think it's very fair.

9:45 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC

Certainly not, Mr. Chair, I beg to disagree.

9:45 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

9:45 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC

On collective bargaining--

9:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Larry Miller

Let's not play on words here--

A point of order, Mr. Bezan?

June 1st, 2010 / 9:45 p.m.

Conservative

James Bezan Conservative Selkirk—Interlake, MB

Yes, on a point of order, I'm just going to quote from the rules and procedures that govern us as parliamentarians. I'm going to start back at chapter 20, on page 1,030, with the procedural responsibilities of the chair. Essentially, the chair presides over the meeting and oversees committee work: “They are responsible for maintaining order and decorum in committee proceedings, and rule on any procedural matter that arises, subject to an appeal to the committee”.

You've made a ruling. The committee can appeal. So I'll go back to our privileges and immunities as members, in chapter 3, on pages 150 and 151, where it states, “The role of the Chair in such instances is to determine whether the matter raised does in fact touch on privilege and is not a point of order, a grievance, or a matter of debate”.

That is what you've already done. You've moved on. It goes on:

If the Chair is of the opinion that the Member’s interjection deals with a point of order, a grievance or a matter of debate, or that the incident is within the powers of the committee to deal with, the Chair will rule accordingly, giving reasons. The committee cannot then consider the matter further as a question of privilege. Should a Member disagree with the Chair’s decision, the Member can appeal the decision to the committee (i.e., move a motion “Shall the decision of the Chair be sustained?”). The committee may sustain or overturn the Chair’s decision.

So you're disagreeing with the chair's decision. We've already gone past it. The chair has made a decision. Let's move on to the next amendment.

9:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Larry Miller

Thank you.

Actually, on that, Mr. Julian, the clerk just was telling me that before Mr. Bezan started to speak.

We are on NDP amendment 3. The other one was defeated four to zero and we have moved on.

9:45 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC

Mr. Chair, as you said--

9:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Larry Miller

So what Mr. Bezan said has been confirmed, so we are on....

Do you care to move amendment 3?

9:45 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC

On NDP-2, Mr. Chair, I have concluded my arguments, and I call--