Official Languages Committee on May 9th, 2024

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

When I had the floor, I said that the motions were not in order. You have to rule on this matter, and we have to vote on it. You have no choice, as I understand the procedure.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I could have ruled on Mr. Godin's motion from the outset. However, an amendment and a subamendment have been proposed that could have had the effect of transforming the original motion somewhat, so to speak. One thing is certain, though: As things stand, after this amendment and subamendment have been proposed, I can inform the committee right away that the motion is not in order. However, I didn't want to intervene until we had finished proposing amendments and subamendments, because they could have given the motion a form that would have made it admissible, hypothetically. All in all, if this can guide the committee, I can say that the motion, with or without an amendment or subamendment, is not in order.

The reason is easy to understand: Even if the committee votes unanimously to that effect, the chair doesn't have the power to censure or sanction any member of the committee. Indeed, it is the responsibility of the House of Commons. According to procedure, at best, the committee can report to the House of Commons, and the House will be able to decide, make corrections, impose sanctions or censure what was said. I don't know what the power of the Speaker of the House of Commons will be. What I do know is that the chair of the committee or the committee itself cannot sanction one of its members for their behaviour or censure their words.

Let's go back to what happened on Monday. Those who were here saw that I was about to bang the gavel on the table and ask our colleague Mr. Drouin to withdraw his remarks, but he did so before I could even ask him.

This morning, the member apologized before the minister's five‑minute speech officially began. As chair, I can't help but acknowledge that there was an apology. In any case, we all heard his apology in the media, even if it wasn't in the context of the committee.

As for the motion, given the way it would be amended by the amendment or subamendment, it is not in order.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

I call the vote.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Chair, I asked you for the floor.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Having said that—

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

No, no one can have the floor right now, because I have a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

We'll deal with the point of order.

I just ruled on the motion. Mr. Samson is right, and he asked for a vote. We will now vote on the chair's ruling.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

No, no. I have a point of order, Mr. Chair. Hold on, there—

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Go ahead, Mr. Godin.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Chair, you—

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

No, no, no—

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

—mentioned that Mr. Drouin had apologized today. I think—

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

No, I didn't—

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Let me finish, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Mr. Godin, I didn't say that Mr. Drouin had tabled his apology.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

You said he had apologized.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I will repeat exactly what I said: I have no choice but to acknowledge, as chair of the committee—and the committee will acknowledge this too—that Mr. Drouin apologized here, in this committee.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

In terms of procedure, Mr. Chair, I rose in the House of Commons to speak to this yesterday afternoon, but the Speaker of the House of Commons, who is a member of the government party, told me that I had to make my remarks in committee. So that's what I'm doing this morning.

So, from a procedural standpoint, tell me what makes my motion out of order.

What I want to tell you, Mr. Chair, is that requests—

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Just a moment, Mr. Godin. I'll take one question at a time.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

I could have asked you several.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

You're asking me why the motion isn't in order, but I just explained it. We can't go to the Speaker of the House of Commons on that. As he told you yesterday, it must be up to the committee. However, as I just said, the only thing the committee or the chair of the committee can do is submit a report to the House. Once the committee has sent a report to the House, at that point, the Speaker of the House can decide.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Yes.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

A point of order.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Chair, allow me to add to the information you've just given us. If the committee decided to ask—we have the right to ask for this—for Mr. Drouin to resign from this or that position, we would then present a report to the Speaker, and the Speaker would make a decision.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.