Public Accounts Committee on Oct. 9th, 2024

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Mr. Perkins, I have a point of order. I've stopped the clock.

Yes, please go ahead.

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

Thank you very much.

I believe that Ms. Verschuren—sorry, I don't know how to pronounce her name—did correct her testimony.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Okay. I just ruled on this. This is not a point of order. Stop.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

We will start from the top.

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

It doesn't make sense to us to continue to harass a witness on this—

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

All right. I endeavour to act—

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

The evidence is there, so I'm just not sure why it just—

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Ms. Khalid—

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

She applied after the phone call. Listen, and you'll learn something for a change.

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

Let's not go down that road—

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Mr. Perkins—

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Why don't you want to learn anything?

Is that part of the cover-up coalition?

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Mr. Perkins, before I remind—

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

You should. I take exception to your cover-up.

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

I take personal exception to the witness being—

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Order. We are going to suspend for a minute.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

I'll bring the meeting back to order.

If I could have everyone's attention, including the official opposition's, first I'm going to highlight the safety aspect. When everyone is talking at once, it is putting the interpreters in a very difficult position. We've made many changes here to ensure their health is protected.

I also want to highlight that Mr. Bains is here for about an hour, because of a conflict, which I understand, and I appreciate his being here. He has agreed to come back. If we continue to go down this rabbit hole and these debates that are happening while it's a member's turn to speak, and when those items will be brought up by an opposing side in a later round, we're not going to get anywhere, and we'll be back.

Now, further, I had committed not to sit next week, but if this devolves the way it is going to devolve, I might reconsider that.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Bring it on.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Mr. Drouin, you be careful saying that, because we sit a lot in recess weeks—a lot.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

It's about an hour's drive.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

It's 30 minutes.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

I don't think your colleagues will appreciate your cheerleading me on, calling me....

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

They will.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

No, Mr. Drouin, I can assure you they won't.

Anyway, if we can proceed civilly....

I'll say, as well, that Mr. Bains is an experienced parliamentarian, and I am sure he's going to be able to provide answers to committee members on both sides. I hope we can get through this without this devolving into a shouting match again.

Lastly, I'm going to close by saying again to please respect the interpreters.

Mr. Perkins, you have just a little over four minutes on the clock. The floor is yours again. Please begin.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

I have a point of order.

I have six minutes left.