Public Safety Committee on May 25th, 2010

[The Chair, Conservative, Garry Breitkreuz]

Ms. Hoeppner, please.

[Marlene Jennings, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

Point of order.

[The Chair, Conservative, Garry Breitkreuz]

Yes.

[An hon. member]

La violence faite aux femmes, ce n'est pas important.

[An hon. member]

Mr. Chair, who has the floor?

[Marlene Jennings, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

Do I have the floor, or...?

[The Chair, Conservative, Garry Breitkreuz]

You have a point of order. Are we going to run over time because you're taking time away from the Conservatives?

[Marlene Jennings, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

No. You may rule this out of order, but I would suggest that, as chair, when witnesses do not have sufficient time to answer the questions asked of them, you simply indicate that they can do so in writing, through you, at a future date, and that will be distributed to the committee and become part of the official record.

[The Chair, Conservative, Garry Breitkreuz]

Thank you.

I also reminded everybody that you have to allow time for the witnesses to answer while it's your time.

I'll give Ms. Hoeppner three minutes, please.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Professor Mauser, you were just basically vilified by the Bloc member Ms. Mourani because you own a firearm. You have a picture of yourself with a firearm.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that is what this whole debate is about. This is about a certain group of people who want to defend a registry because they believe that any person in this country who owns a firearm is bad and should be punished and is a criminal.

So I want to make that comment, and I want to ask you, have you ever been arrested or charged? Are you a criminal? Have you contributed to gun crime or violent crime in any way?

[Maria Mourani, Bloc, Ahuntsic, QC]

Mr. Chairman, it seems that we—

[Dr. Gary Mauser]

Why, no. No, I haven't. If I had, I would lose my firearms licence and I would have my guns confiscated.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Thank you very much.

I have another question I wanted to ask....

Excuse me.

[A voice]

Just keep going.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

I have another question I wanted to ask Mr. Gaudet. I have the—

[Luc Desnoyers, Bloc, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Mr. Chairman—

[Maria Mourani, Bloc, Ahuntsic, QC]

Mr. Chairman, I have a point of order. Order!

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

—current 2009-10 estimates in front of me. Right now under the firearms registry, not licensing—

[Luc Desnoyers, Bloc, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Mr. Chairman, it is 5:30. You did not want to hear my witness, but you have given Ms. Hoeppner more time. Does she have more rights than I do?

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Do I have the floor, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Conservative, Garry Breitkreuz]

Mr. Desnoyers, that is out of order. You know that's incorrect. You have had as much time, or more; in fact, you had more time.

Please continue, Ms. Hoeppner.

[Luc Desnoyers, Bloc, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

As I said, it is 5:30.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Are their mikes off?

I will just continue, Mr. Gaudet.

[Andrew Kania, Liberal, Brampton West, ON]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Garry Breitkreuz]

Are you wanting to take away all the time from the Conservatives on points of order, Mr. Kania?