Official Languages Committee on May 9th, 2024

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Okay.

Mr. Serré and Ms. Ashton want to intervene, but just to make sure everything is clear, I'll summarize the situation. I'll start by reading Mr. Godin's amendment, then I'll insert Mr. Beaulieu's proposed amendments so we can all see what's what.

Mr. Godin's amendment reads as follows:

It is resolved that the committee: (a) requests the Member—

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

That's not my amendment. That's Mr. Généreux's amendment.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Sorry, that's Mr. Généreux's amendment to Mr. Godin's motion.

I'll start over:

It is resolved that the committee: (a) requests the Member of Parliament for Glengarry—Prescott—Russell to apologize to witnesses Frédéric Lacroix and Nicolas Bourdon as well as to the members of the Committee; (b) demand the immediate removal of the Member of Parliament for Glengarry—Prescott—Russell from the committee; (c) requests the immediate resignation of the Member of Parliament for Glengarry—Prescott—Russell as Chair of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie; (d) requests the immediate resignation of the Member of Parliament for Glengarry—Prescott—Russell as international Chair of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie; (e) reports to the House on this intolerable situation.

I'm getting to your subamendment, Mr. Beaulieu. You're proposing to leave point (a) as is, but, before continuing to the point (b) I just read, we'd insert “recognizes that such behaviour is not worthy of the position of parliamentarian or president of a parliamentary association”. That would become point (b).

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

Actually, point (b) of my subamendment would be “acknowledges that the data presented by the witnesses in support of their testimony is based on science”.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

That's what I was saying earlier. That's point (a).

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

Okay, that's fine.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

So, your point (b) would become—

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

Your point (a) would become point (b).

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Right, that's what I was saying earlier.

So, we would move points (b), (c), (d) and (e), which I just read from Mr. Généreux's amendment, down.

Point (b) would now read “acknowledges that the data presented by the witnesses in support of their testimony is based on science”.

Point (c) would be “recognizes that such behaviour is not worthy of the position of parliamentarian or president of a parliamentary association”.

Point (d) would be “demands that Francis Drouin issue a written apology to the witnesses”. If you ask me, that's part of the amendment already, but so be it.

Lastly, point (e) would demand the immediate resignation of the member from his position as chair of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie. That's already part of the amendment.

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

We could actually put the new points (a), (b) and (c)—

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Point (b), too.

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

Because I don't think Mr. Généreux's amendment included a demand for a written apology.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

No, there was nothing about a written apology.

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

The text would go on from there.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Okay.

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

We usually start by dealing with the subamendment.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

So this discussion is about points (a), (b) and (c) of the subamendment.

Mr. Serré, did I see you raise your hand?

If not, I know Ms. Ashton raised hers.

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

I raised my hand, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

That's right. I wrote Mr. Serré's name, but I remember it was actually Mr. Samson who raised his hand. Then we'll go to Ms. Ashton.

Mr. Samson, you have the floor.

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

Mr. Chair, I believe these motions are inadmissible, so I request a vote.

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

Why would they be inadmissible?

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

Because our committee doesn't have the power or authority to demand that a member apologize.

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

We can still ask for it. It's not about what we have the right—

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

We can ask, but—

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Wait a moment. As long as people have their hands raised to speak to this, we won't be voting. That said, before it comes to that, I'll rule on the motion. I would ask for your co-operation.

Thank you, Mr. Samson.

Ms. Ashton, you're next. Then we'll go to Mr. Serré, followed by Mr. Godin.

Just a reminder, we're talking about Mr. Beaulieu's subamendment.