Justice Committee on May 30th, 2019

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Housefather]

I'm going to ask [Inaudible—Editor]

[Tracey Ramsey, NDP, Essex, ON]

—and that's a mischaracterization of this particular individual, and that's unacceptable.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Housefather]

If Mr. Cooper did not, I was going to let the witness again fully respond at the end of his time.

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

I welcome her to do so.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Housefather]

Okay. Please—

[Tracey Ramsey, NDP, Essex, ON]

Again, it's completely unfair to witnesses at this committee to have to personally defend themselves against these types of accusations.

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

She was at the—

[Tracey Ramsey, NDP, Essex, ON]

That is not why they're here. She's not here to defend herself as an individual against accusations that she ascribes to the things that he's shared.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Housefather]

I think—

[Naseem Mithoowani]

I think this is a distraction from the main issues that we have to discuss.

I think that asking an individual who attends any rally to comment and be responsible for every other comment and publication or sign at that rally is, frankly, beyond reason, beyond rational debate and discussion. I think, given that we have a 600% increase in online hate, let's focus on that.

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

I would submit, Mr. Chair, that BDS constitutes online hate.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Housefather]

Thank you very much, Mr. Cooper.

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

[Inaudible—Editor ] pro-life or attending United We Roll rallies.

[Tracey Ramsey, NDP, Essex, ON]

You can't ask for her personal—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Housefather]

Guys, order.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

On a point of order, Mr. Chair, throughout Mr. Cooper's time, which was his right to take, he received interruptions from nearly every single member of this committee except me and Mr. MacKenzie. Will we be afforded time that the Liberal members took and that the NDP took during that time?

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Housefather]

I've stopped—

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

I have offered no comment out of turn in this meeting. However, if all members of the committee are going to be able to chime in and offer their commentary on the leader of the Conservative Party, Andrew Scheer, on—

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

I'm talking about all [Inaudible—Editor]

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

—people's views on abortion.... I don't know how—

[Tracey Ramsey, NDP, Essex, ON]

Who was doing such a thing?

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Ms. Khalid did.

[An hon. member]

She just did.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

What's the order that's going to take place at this meeting? Are we going through people's time or is it a free-for-all? If it's a free-for-all, let's do it, Mr. Chair.