Evidence of meeting #21 for Public Safety and National Security in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was firearm.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Mark Holland
Mr. Rathgeber, to be clear, the document would be received by the clerk, it would then be translated, and then it would be given out to committee members. No committee members would receive a unilingual version of the report.
Conservative
Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
I'd certainly like to hear Ms. Mourani on this point, if she's on the list.
Liberal
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
If we receive the French translation, there is no problem having it go through the clerk.
Conservative
Shelly Glover Conservative Saint Boniface, MB
Once again, Mr. Chair, I believe the rule is that you're supposed to follow the speakers order. I'm quite surprised today to see your behaviour with regard to committee once again, trying to skew whatever you possibly can to the favour of a partisan party.
Today we have witnesses, and I would like to hear from the witnesses, but I have to say that I want to know who referenced these documents. You continue to say that it was a number of witnesses. I would like to know who exactly referenced them. At this point, it's unclear as to who exactly referenced them or why they referenced them. I'm not clear as to what this document is, exactly.
Frankly, as the parliamentary secretary for official languages, I'm quite disturbed that we would even venture into accepting a document that is not in both official languages. It's not the typical practice of committees when documents are brought forward. Typically, specifically when they are from departments or from federal organizations, they are expected to be in both official languages before they are tabled. I would be completely against the tabling of them without their being in both official languages, respecting the fact that we are a bilingual country.
I would like to know from you, Mr. Chair, who are the three people or the four people you've indicated have referenced this document during testimony?
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Mark Holland
The two who have directly seen it are both the Deputy Commissioner of the RCMP and the chair of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, Chief Bill Blair.
I am going to make sure that the report is distributed in French and English, in both official languages. There is no problem in that regard. The clerk will receive the report, after which it will be translated.
Conservative
Shelly Glover Conservative Saint Boniface, MB
Who else referred to that document? You mentioned three or four people, but so far you have only named two.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Mark Holland
I clearly stated that two people have read the report, Mr. Blair and the Deputy Commissioner of the RCMP.
Now, Mr. Norlock--
Liberal
Conservative
Shelly Glover Conservative Saint Boniface, MB
You referred to three or four people. I would like to know who has read the report.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Mark Holland
Mr. Norlock, just to warn you, I'm going to give about two more minutes before we have to turn to witnesses and have a vote.
Conservative
Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
--I do not believe it's the prerogative of the chair to set time limits on debate. I think that's the prerogative of the committee and the Standing Orders.
I think you are grossly exceeding your authority, Mr. Deputy Chair.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Mark Holland
You have the opportunity to challenge the chair. We have witnesses who are before us today who would like to testify, and there's a very simple motion with respect to receiving the report.
Conservative
Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
Why don't we do this at the end of the meeting?
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Mark Holland
We had ended the previous meeting on this, and I had made the determination that...given that I thought this would be a relatively simple matter of asking for a report.
Conservative
Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
Well, clearly it's not a simple matter, so maybe we should hear the witnesses--
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Mark Holland
That's not the decision I'm making.
Mr. Norlock....
Yes, Mr. McColeman.
Conservative
Phil McColeman Conservative Brant, ON
On a point of order, having been in the chair at the end of the last meeting, I think it's worth you knowing that at the end of the last meeting, I had flagged five individual committee members on my list as wanting to speak to this motion. That was at the end of the last meeting.
Conservative
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Mark Holland
--that's not a point of order. And a new list begins at the start of every new meeting.
I'm going to cut the list off at Mr. Norlock and then Mr. McColeman so that we can commence this meeting.
Mr. Norlock.