Public Safety Committee on May 9th, 2024

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

With respect to my honourable friend, I move to challenge the chair.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

On what basis?

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

On what basis? The agenda stands. Mr. Genuis can wait his turn, as you—

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

That's not how the rules work.

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

Again, Mr. Genuis, you're talking over people. It's your shtick.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

No, my shtick is the rules.

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

Maybe take a moment—

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

My shtick is demanding adherence to the rules.

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

I have the floor.

[The Chair, Liberal, Heath MacDonald]

Mr. Genuis, he sat there and listened to you for a minute. You can sit there and listen to him for a minute.

We don't have interpreters.... We've already gone through this. This was published in the House of Parliament. It came back to us. There is an issue with interpreters when we talk over one another. I'll give you time—

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

I have a point of order on the interpreters issue, Chair, because I think this is an important clarification.

We had a situation at natural resources. The chair there asserted that having multiple people talking on the microphones at the same time was a health and safety issue for interpreters. The chair had to come back to the committee and...well, he didn't apologize, but he corrected himself that although it is more difficult for the interpreters to interpret if you have multiple people talking, it is not a health and safety issue. The health and safety issue is engaged when there's a loop associated with the proximity of the earpiece to the microphone. I understand, obviously, that we want to avoid crosstalk, but it is not a health and safety issue for interpreters.

Further, I have the floor. I was given the floor. I moved a motion. I'd like to actually get back to the substance of it, because we have some important things to raise in relation to the subcommittee.

The motion is that the debate be resumed on the amendment. I didn't even have a chance to fully read the amendment—

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

On a point of order—

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

—at the time of the last meeting. I think it's important to highlight what we're actually talking about here.

[Ron McKinnon, Liberal, Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC]

I have a point of order.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

The Paul Bernardo case is one that this committee has studied but not reported on—

[The Chair, Liberal, Heath MacDonald]

We have a challenge to the chair on my decision to allow you to continue. We'll deal with the challenge to the chair.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Can I raise a quick point of order on that?

[The Chair, Liberal, Heath MacDonald]

No.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

If I'm cut off, it is appealable to the House, right?

The Standing Orders say that if a time limit is imposed without the consent of the committee or there's a limitation on someone's ability to speak, it can be raised in the House and the Speaker will nullify subsequent proceedings. Further, the Standing Orders also say that a decision by the chair in respect to time limits or number of times a member is speaking is not subject to a challenge to the chair.

Therefore, Mr. Bittle is actually not able to challenge the chair because of what the Standing Orders say.

[The Chair, Liberal, Heath MacDonald]

We're going to suspend, Mr. Genuis.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Thank you.

I'll find the relevant standing order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Heath MacDonald]

Go ahead on a point of order, Mr. Bittle.

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

I'll withdraw my motion and let Mr. Genuis get back to filibustering a bill that apparently he supports.

[The Chair, Liberal, Heath MacDonald]

Mr. Genuis, continue, please.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Thank you, Chair.

The member is completely mis-characterizing events, and I will explain why. Chair, I have moved a motion. Was the motion heard, or should I reread the motion? There was a little bit of—