Justice Committee on Feb. 7th, 2011

[Michael Spratt]

A number of members of the board have been involved in submissions.

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

I don't want to cross-examine you, we're not in court, but can you tell me how many members of your group were involved in the preparation of your submissions today?

[Michael Spratt]

It was discussed at a board meeting. I believe 30 members were on the board.

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Did they see a copy of this submission?

[Michael Spratt]

Yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Ed Fast]

Thank you.

All right, we're going to the next round. We're going to go to Mr. Lee, for five minutes.

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

I just wanted to make sure if maybe Mr. Woodworth was going to give a written test or something here. He gave quite a long lecture. I didn't take notes and I didn't realize as he began that it was going to be so intensive.

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Point of order.

[The Chair, Conservative, Ed Fast]

A point of order, Mr. Woodworth.

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

I presume that just as Mr. Lee has the opportunity to debate with me about what I said, I have the opportunity to put on the record and to try to let members of the public know the facts on which I am proceeding when I make my decisions.

If the chair would like to allow Mr. Lee and me to debate those points, I'd be more than happy to.

[The Chair, Conservative, Ed Fast]

No, I don't want that debate right now.

Everybody here at this committee knows that we do have a right to put on the record whatever we wish to state, and if that is without any questions, that's still acceptable.

So Mr. Lee, why don't your proceed, five minutes.

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

Yes, I was just wondering how many members of the Conservative Party of Canada were consulted on this bill, but I'm not going to ask the question. And I hope—

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Point of order.

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

—this dialogue does not come out of my time, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Ed Fast]

A point of order, Mr. Woodworth.

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Mr. Chair, I know the chair is bound by certain rules of civility, and I know that Mr. Lee is suggesting that somehow I'm here representing some group other than myself. I suspect the chair knows we are here as individuals at this committee, so I would ask you to rule Mr. Lee's immediate past comments to be out of order.

[The Chair, Conservative, Ed Fast]

I'm not going to rule them out of order, but I'm going to ask Mr. Lee now to concentrate on the witnesses at hand. They attended here—

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

I just want it added to my time.

[The Chair, Conservative, Ed Fast]

The witnesses are appearing here—

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

And I should have about—

[The Chair, Conservative, Ed Fast]

—to be able answer questions from members—

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

—five minutes left.

[The Chair, Conservative, Ed Fast]

—of this committee, so if you could focus on that....

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

Thank you. I do have about five minutes left.

[The Chair, Conservative, Ed Fast]

You do.