I didn't speak today.
Evidence of meeting #15 for Official Languages in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was point.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #15 for Official Languages in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was point.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:10 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Lemieux Conservative Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
It's your colleagues. I don't understand what they don't understand about debate.
The other thing about Mr. Godin is that he says a point of order takes precedence. It does; it takes precedence. When he says “point of order”, it cuts into debate and you must deal with the point of order.
My point, Chair, is that most of his points of order are not points of order; they are points of debate, and there is--
10:15 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Lemieux Conservative Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
An abuse of points of order goes on, not just in this committee and not just by Mr. Godin. It's in all committees. But I raise the point that the point of order is supposed to be a tool that cuts through debate to make a valid point of order, and most of the time it does not. It cuts through the debate, for sure, because the chairman has to recognize it; he doesn't know what the point of order is until it is explained to him. When it's explained to him, most of the time it's a point of debate.
10:15 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Lemieux Conservative Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
I'm not filibustering. What I want to do is discuss. What I am discussing is that we have been discussing--
10:15 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Lemieux Conservative Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
These aren't lines; these are media reports. What I'm trying to show is that as we are trying to conclude our work on this committee, I think there are other witnesses we can bring forward rather than Madame la Ministre, ones that will be more pertinent. I mentioned the Canada Public Service Agency as one of them. I'm saying as well, as we're finishing our work, another appropriate witness would be Justin Trudeau because his comments, which have been broadcast across the country, confused Canadians as to the Liberal position regarding official languages. It's not just one time he has done this. He has made very negative comments about bilingualism three times. I just mentioned on this one why I think we don't need Madame la Ministre . We should have Justin Trudeau come because he insulted unilingual anglophones and unilingual francophones in the same sentence by calling them lazy. Then he went on to say....
He said, and I'll translate: “Sitting down and waiting for others to learn your language isn't just lazy, in fact it's shooting yourself in the foot, since you jeopardize your ability to speak to the rest of the world.”
10:15 a.m.
Conservative
10:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
If you have any amendments to move, I am prepared to receive them.
10:15 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Lemieux Conservative Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
If I choose to table an amendment at the end, I will table an amendment at the end. If I choose not to...what we are discussing is Mr. Godin's motion--
10:15 a.m.
Liberal
10:15 a.m.
Conservative
10:15 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Lemieux Conservative Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
--putting forward a motion to invite the minister. During this debate we have discussed whether it is appropriate to have the minister come or whether it--
10:15 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Lemieux Conservative Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
No. What is it they don't like about debate? Whether or not to bring the minister--
10:15 a.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
If this guy were invited he would come any time, if he were minister, and she should come too.
10:15 a.m.
A voice
Darn right.
10:15 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Lemieux Conservative Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
As I said, Chair, the minister has come every time we've asked the minister to come.
10:15 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Lemieux Conservative Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
I'm trying to say that if we're going to be inviting different people to come--
10:15 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Lemieux Conservative Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
--then what we should be doing is inviting Justin Trudeau. So there's the pertinence right there. The pertinence is that we are looking at who should come before the committee as we finalize our work on the report. One suggestion, and the motion of Mr. Godin, is to invite Madame la Ministre.
