Natural Resources Committee on Oct. 30th, 2023

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Mr. Angus, we have another point of order.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

But I actually did have a point of order, so again they—

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

I'm sorry. Are you speaking—

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

I'm speaking on my point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Okay, you're speaking on your point of order.

Can you just be succinct and relevant?

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Absolutely, because I'm not here to filibuster and play games. I'm here to get something done.

A ruling was made. You made it.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

The Conservatives are continuing to interrupt, intimidate and undermine the committee, so I would say to you, Mr. Chair, that we need to move on.

If Mr. Genuis—

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

—is actually willing to participate as a credible member, he can challenge you—

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Thank you, Mr. Angus.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

—but he refuses to challenge you because he cannot win.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

We're going to suspend.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Thank you, members.

I just want to remind colleagues about the health and safety of our interpreters. It is extremely important that all members here take this seriously for the health and safety of our interpreters, who are doing a tremendous job. If we have multiple members speaking over each other during the points of order, it is quite challenging. It is impacting the health and safety of our interpreters.

I'm going to ask everybody again. When we have a point of order, we go one at a time. We wait until the person is finished or the chair has recognized the next individual before another member raises a point of order.

I hope that we've had some time to reflect and think about that for the health, safety and best interest of our interpreters.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

I have a point of order on that.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

We're going to go to the point of order from Mr. Angus and then right after we'll go to Mr. Patzer.

Go ahead, Mr. Angus.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Thank you for that sage advice.

It's very concerning to me. I'm into four hours of being denied my right to speak.

I would like to ask you what steps we need to take to ensure that we don't have an accident, like what happen in the Senate, from MPs being abusive. The last round was extremely abusive from my Conservative colleagues.

Is the chair willing to suspend for health and safety reasons? I don't think that anyone should be put at risk, having to listen to what has descended into a gong show.

What are the parameters for making a suspension on a health and safety issue to make sure that our interpreters are able to do their job and are not being abused?

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Thank you for your point of order.

That's the exact reason we suspended previously. I will suspend again if we must.

The priority on this committee is the health and safety of everybody who is working hard and diligently to make sure this committee is doing the work its intended to do with the bills, motions, amendments and the subamendment we have on the floor.

Thank you for that.

I'm going to Mr. Patzer next on a point of order.

[Jeremy Patzer, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Thank you very much, Chair.

I just want to get it on the record that every single time one of us has had the floor, a point of order has been raised and then all of a sudden someone—sometimes it has been you—starts talking over one of us. That's contributing to multiple people talking at the same time, and then we see Mr. Angus jump in on top of it as well. We end up with three people yammering on the mike.

I just hope your statement will apply equally to everyone, including yourself as the chair.

I recognize that as the chair you have a certain level of authority and we do acknowledge that, but just to be fair and consistent, I hope that statement would reflect upon yourself as well.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

That does apply to all members.

Thank you for your point of order.

I would just ask, once again, that when we raise a point of order we be succinct and that the point of order be relevant to the conversation or the topic at hand.

That's why members interject with “that's debate” or other items that are referenced. As long as we focus on one point of order at a time.... Be succinct and make sure it's relevant to the point of order that has been raised. If we focus on that, we'll be able to forward and accomplish the important work of this committee.

Mr. Carrie, I'm going to Ms. Stubbs first on a point of order and then I'll come back to you.

Ms. Stubbs, go ahead.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Thank you, Chair.

On this topic, Conservatives want to thank and acknowledge the work and the support of the interpreters, as well as all the support staff in the committee.

I certainly acknowledged last Monday, as you'll recall—although I was interrupted by you—how I am quite aware that I am just a nightmare for interpreters with my motormouth situation. That's why I try to always get my speeches to them in advance and that kind of thing.

I would just echo the comments of my Conservative colleagues here that we are fighting for the rules to be objectively and fairly applied to all members of Parliament on behalf of the millions of Canadians we represent. Certainly as Conservatives, although it might be a challenge, we will never stop fighting for the livelihoods, the workers and the best interests of every Canadian in every province and every community in all parts of the economy.

I can certainly hear NDP MP Charlie Angus urging you to cut me off and saying that it's debate, but I thank you, Chair, for indulging me to share Conservatives' values and concern for the interpreters and for all of the support staff.

Thank you, Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Thank you, Ms. Stubbs.

We'll go to Mr. Carrie on a point of order.

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

As I said earlier, I'm not a regular member of this committee, but I do have the right to participate and to get the facts. I don't want to be debating things.

I was wondering whether the clerk could make available the transcript from the last meeting and provide a speaking list, so that I could interject factually on this issue. The rights of members to speak are extremely important to all of us.

My understanding is that we had a member on the floor who was speaking but was not able to continue. I think that to resolve it...I'm just offering a suggestion, Mr. Chair. It seems that you're stopping the clerk from allowing us to have that information. It would be very good to resolve this entire issue if you would allow the clerk to make that information available to everybody in a clear and concise way.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Thank you, Mr. Carrie.

The speaking order issue was resolved.

As I clearly stated, Mr. Angus had the floor.